Two weeks ago, the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, issued a statement disclaiming Mr Adeyemi and the agency, saying such an office doesn’t exist under the current administration and that the government never made the appointment.
The Presidency said on Wednesday that Adeniyi Adeyemi, who was accused of falsely parading himself as the Director-General of a non-existent Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) and the Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC), is currently facing trial before the Federal High Court.
In a statement by the president’s spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, the presidency said the police have charged Mr Adeyemi and two other defendants with eight counts at the Federal High Court.
Mr Onanuga said the case, filed on 27 November, 2025, is scheduled for hearing on 27 July.
Two weeks ago, the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, issued a statement disclaiming Mr Adeyemi and the agency, saying such an office doesn’t exist under the current administration and that the government never made the appointment.
“The unsuspecting public is hereby advised to note that such an office does not exist under this administration and no appointment has been made in that regard,” he had said.
Some sections of the media organisations reported on Monday that Mr Adeyemi accused Mr Gbajabiamila of requesting N400 million through a proxy. PREMIUM TIMES couldn’t confirm the authenticity of the reports.
However, Mr Onanuga said Mr Adeyemi made the claims after he was granted police bail.
The Presidency accused Mr Adeyemi of forging government appointment letters and other documents and parading himself as the Director-General of a non-existent Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) and the Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC).
According to Mr Onanuga, concerns about the fake agency first emerged after officials of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) complained that another body appeared to be performing similar functions.
He said the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, petitioned the State Security Services (SSS) and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) on 17 October, 2025, requesting an investigation into the individuals.
In the petition, Mr Gbajabiamila said the appointment letters purportedly issued from his office to the individuals bore falsified signatures, seals and reference numbers being used to claim appointments to non-existent government entities.
He said Mr Adeyemi and his associates operated from an office at the Federal Secretariat Complex in Abuja, held meetings with Nigerian and foreign officials, and sought diplomatic support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to facilitate United States visas for purported staff members.
Mr Onanuga said the Chief of Staff’s petition was accompanied by copies of the alleged forged appointment letter, visa-related correspondence and photographs obtained from the group’s website.
The Presidency further disclosed that the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs had separately raised concerns after Mr Adeyemi convened a meeting with ambassadors at the Wells Carlton Hotel in Abuja on 10 October, 2025, without notifying the ministry.
The ministry subsequently sought clarification from both the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Chief of Staff, describing the meeting as inconsistent with established diplomatic procedures.
The Office of the National Security Adviser later referred the matter to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, which also sought clarification from the Chief of Staff.
The Presidency said Mr Gbajabiamila responded by denying any knowledge of Mr Adeyemi or the purported council, maintaining that his office neither created such an agency nor issued any appointment letter.
Mr Onanuga added that the Police arrested Mr Adeyemi on 27 October, 2025, at the Abuja office from which he allegedly operated.
He added that investigators searched both his office and residence in Suleja, recovering documents they described as forged government records.
He said Mr Adeyemi told investigators that one Dolapo Tanimola assisted him in procuring the appointment letter, but police later established that Mr Tanimola had died in a hotel fire days before Mr Adeyemi’s arrest.
The statement further claimed that police investigations found the agency to be fictitious and alleged that Mr Adeyemi forged appointment documents, falsely represented himself as a government official, and sought diplomatic support under false pretences.
He said investigators also discovered 34 bank accounts linked to Mr Adeyemi, including several opened in the names of entities such as the FCT Investment Promotion Agency and other purported government organisations.
The Presidency further alleged that Mr Adeyemi used forged documents to fraudulently open an account with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) by misleading the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation. He said investigators found that no government funds were paid into the account.
