The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the remand of the embattled Director-General of the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, Adeniyi Adeyemi, at the Kuje Correctional Centre after he pleaded not guilty to an eight-count charge bordering on conspiracy, forgery and impersonation.
Adeyemi, 38, was arraigned before Justice Mohammed Umar on Wednesday following the takeover of the case by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN).
The Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), represented the Federal Government during the proceedings.
The case, with suit number FHC/ABJ/CR/562/2025, was initially filed by the Nigeria Police Force against Adeyemi and two other individuals identified as Femi and Anu, who are currently at large.
When the eight charges were read to him, Adeyemi entered a not guilty plea to all counts.
Oyedepo informed the court that the Ministry of Justice had taken over the prosecution following a directive from the AGF, adding that the case file would be reviewed. He, however, requested that the existing charge be maintained to allow the arraignment to proceed.
After Adeyemi’s plea, the prosecution argued that the defendant had joined issues with the government and should be remanded pending trial.
Oyedepo urged the court to keep Adeyemi in custody, citing circumstances surrounding his actions before his arrest and arraignment.
However, Adeyemi’s lawyer, Genesis Francis, asked the court to consider his client’s bail application, which he said had already been filed and served on the prosecution.
Francis also told the court that Adeyemi had a medical appointment scheduled for Friday due to an ailment he described as contagious.
The prosecution opposed the request for his immediate release, with Oyedepo assuring the court that Adeyemi would receive necessary medical attention while in custody.
He said the correctional facility had medical personnel and facilities capable of handling the defendant’s health needs.
Justice Umar declined to hear the bail application immediately, citing the number of matters listed before the court.
The judge subsequently ordered Adeyemi’s remand at the Kuje Correctional Centre and adjourned the case until October 12, 2026, for hearing of the bail application and continuation of the trial.
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Adeyemi’s arraignment followed his earlier failure to appear before the court, which led Justice Umar to issue an arrest warrant after an application by police counsel, Wisdom Madaki. He was later arrested about 24 hours after the order was issued.
The prosecution alleged that Adeyemi operated the purported council from an office located on the second floor of the Federal Secretariat Complex, Phase III, Abuja.
One of the charges accused him of conspiring with the two suspects still at large to forge official documents.
Another count alleged that he forged an appointment letter said to have been issued by President Bola Tinubu and signed by the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila.
He was also accused of forging presidential letterhead papers and other documents allegedly linked to the State House, as well as documents requesting collaboration with government agencies, land allocation and office accommodation across the 36 states.
The prosecution further alleged that Adeyemi forged documents relating to staff account approvals and the purported commencement of activities of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council and the PFIPC.
In another count, he was accused of falsely presenting himself as the Director-General of the purported Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council, an offence said to contravene Section 179 of the Penal Code.
The case stems from controversy surrounding the PFIPC, after claims that the organisation was a government-backed body were disputed by the Presidency.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission was later directed to investigate the matter and subsequently stated that Adeyemi’s appointment letter was fraudulent and did not originate from the Presidency.
The controversy deepened after Adeyemi alleged that he paid N400m through an intermediary as part of an arrangement to secure his appointment as the council’s Director-General. He also accused Gbajabiamila of involvement, a claim the Chief of Staff denied.
Gbajabiamila later filed a N15bn suit against Adeyemi over alleged bribery claims.
The police investigation reportedly followed a petition from the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President over allegations that some individuals were producing fake appointment letters and presenting them as official documents.
The prosecution has listed several witnesses it intends to call during the trial, including Gbajabiamila, officials from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, police officers and civil servants.
Other witnesses listed include Paul Emmanuel, Jeremiah Imoukhede, Ituah Sylvester, Akimbo Shola, Adamu Balongu, Ojo Victor, Omeh Amarachukwu and Wakili Saidu, among others.
Adeyemi has denied all allegations against him and maintained his not guilty plea. The matter will return to court on October 12 for the bail hearing and continuation of trial.