News summary produced by Claude AI
Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, who claimed to be director general of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), was arrested in Osun State after weeks of evading authorities. A Federal High Court in Abuja had issued a warrant for his detention following his failure to appear at a scheduled hearing to face charges of forgery and impersonation.
The arrest came after President Bola Tinubu ordered a corruption investigation into the fictional agency last week. Law enforcement officials from the Force Intelligence Department and Intelligence Response Team conducted the operation. Adeyemi is expected to be transferred to police headquarters in Abuja for further interrogation regarding the matter.
The PFIPC purportedly operated as a foreign investment promotion body within the presidential office. Forensic analysis by police confirmed that a signature attributed to presidential chief of staff Femi Gbajabiamila on the agency’s establishment letter was forged. According to court documents, Adeyemi and two other individuals face accusations of utilizing falsified official documents to create and operate the council, establishing multiple bank accounts under its name, and attempting to secure official government recognition.
Investigations revealed the agency had secured office premises in the Federal Secretariat in Abuja and appeared in the 2026 Appropriation Act with a budgeted allocation of 1.3 billion naira. However, the Accountant-General’s Office stated the PFIPC never maintained an account with the Central Bank of Nigeria and never received public funds or salaries. Adeyemi had previously claimed the agency was established in 2024 to facilitate foreign investment, though no concluded transactions were documented.
The scandal has prompted demands for an independent inquiry from civil society organizations, opposition figures, and legal professionals. Adeyemi maintained his innocence in media statements and initially indicated intentions to clear his name in court, citing personal safety concerns for his absence at the scheduled hearing.