By Our Reporter, With Agency Reports
THE FEDERAL High Court in Abuja on Thursday declined to grant bail to Adeniyi Adeyemi, the detained Director-General of the phantom Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), as a House of Representatives ad hoc committee investigating the purported agency cleared the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, of involvement in its establishment or operations.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu, who presided over the civil case filed by Adeyemi, declined to grant his requests for bail, medical attention and other reliefs at this stage, ruling that the police and other respondents must first be given an opportunity to respond in the interest of fair hearing.
Adeyemi, through his lawyer, M.B. Abdulazeez, had filed an ex-parte application against the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Inspector-General of Police, the Nigeria Police Force and an Assistant Inspector-General of Police.
Among other reliefs, he asked the court to order his release from detention, admit him to bail and allow him to obtain medical treatment from healthcare professionals of his choice over his alleged ill health.
He also sought an order preventing the police or their agents from interrogating him or compelling him to make, adopt or sign any statement except in the presence of a lawyer of his choice.
While Justice Egwuatu declined to grant the substantive reliefs without hearing from the respondents, he granted Adeyemi access to his legal representatives.
The court directed the Attorney-General of the Federation and the police to give Adeyemi unhindered access to his lawyers and gave the respondents 72 hours to show cause why the other reliefs sought should not be granted. The matter was subsequently adjourned until September 9 for the respondents to show cause.
Adeyemi is currently in police custody following his arrest on the strength of proceedings in a separate criminal case before Justice Mohammed Umar of the same Federal High Court.
The police, in charge number FHC/ABJ/CR/562/2025, are prosecuting Adeyemi, alongside two other defendants identified as “Femi Surname Unknown” and “Anu Surname Unknown”, over allegations including forgery and impersonation.
Justice Umar had in July issued an arrest warrant against Adeyemi after he failed to appear for scheduled proceedings and fixed September 30 for his arraignment. He was subsequently arrested and has remained in custody pending his arraignment.
In the criminal proceedings, the prosecution has listed several witnesses, including Gbajabiamila, as well as officials of the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, who are expected to testify.
The police allege that Adeyemi operated the purported agency from the Federal Secretariat Complex in Abuja before his arrest.
The court development came against the backdrop of a separate investigation by the House of Representatives into the activities and legitimacy of the PFIPC.
The House ad hoc committee investigating the organisation has, in its preliminary report, cleared Gbajabiamila of any involvement in its establishment or operations.
The committee’s Chairman, Rep. Yusuf Gagdi (APC-Plateau), said the panel found no evidence linking the Chief of Staff to the President with the purported organisation.
According to Gagdi, the evidence before the committee showed that Gbajabiamila neither authorised nor approved the establishment or operation of the PFIPC, contrary to allegations previously made by Adeyemi.
Adeyemi had alleged that Gbajabiamila was behind the establishment of the organisation and accused him of collecting N400 million as a bribe, while also alleging that the Chief of Staff demanded an additional N200 million.
However, the committee said documentary evidence presented during its proceedings indicated that a letter purportedly appointing Adeyemi as Director-General of the PFIPC was fabricated.
Gagdi said the letter was falsely attributed to Gbajabiamila, who neither issued nor signed it. He added that the letterhead and reference number used were inconsistent with official State House correspondence.
The committee further found that Gbajabiamila took steps to expose and investigate the purported organisation after receiving a formal alert from the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission over suspected fraudulent activities.
According to Gagdi, the Chief of Staff acted within one day of receiving the alert and subsequently communicated with relevant security and investigative agencies, including the Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Office of the National Security Adviser.
The committee preliminarily commended Gbajabiamila for what it described as timely security and administrative interventions.
Gagdi, however, stressed that the findings were preliminary and did not represent the final report or decision of the House of Representatives.
The panel also found that the PFIPC was not established by any valid Act of the National Assembly, executive order or other lawful instrument.
Its investigation allegedly uncovered the fabrication of presidential correspondence, a purported executive order and an altered document presented as an Act of Parliament.
The committee identified Adeyemi as the principal person associated with the purported organisation and recommended further investigation into financial transactions allegedly involving it.
Despite the organisation’s disputed legal status, the committee said the PFIPC had been captured in the 2026 budget, allocated office space at the Federal Secretariat Complex, maintained accounts with the Central Bank of Nigeria and obtained an official vehicle bearing a government number plate.
The panel said the organisation obtained these government facilities and privileges through allegedly forged documents and fraudulent means.
The House findings and the court proceedings have therefore placed the focus on two connected but separate issues: the alleged forgery and impersonation surrounding the purported agency, and the claims made by Adeyemi against senior government officials.
While the House committee’s preliminary findings found no evidence connecting Gbajabiamila to the creation or operation of the PFIPC, Adeyemi remains subject to criminal proceedings over allegations of forgery, impersonation and related offences.
His request for bail and other reliefs will return before Justice Egwuatu on September 9, when the respondents are expected to explain why the remaining reliefs sought by the detained suspect should not be granted.
