MPolice operatives have arrested the father of Adeniyi Adeyemi, the director-general of the disputed Presidential Fiscal and Infrastructure Projects Council (PFIPC), along with a family friend during a raid on the family’s residence in Ogbomoso, Oyo State.
Gatekeepers News reports that the arrest was disclosed on Monday by human rights lawyer Femi Falana, who condemned the action as unlawful.
According to Falana, officers stormed the residence located behind the Technical College area of Ogbomoso and took Adeyemi’s father into custody despite the fact that Adeyemi had reportedly undertaken to appear before the court. Falana argued that there is no legal basis for arresting relatives in place of a suspect, describing the action as a “substituted arrest” prohibited under Nigerian law.
Residents of the neighbourhood said the officers arrived in multiple vehicles before taking away Adeyemi’s father and a family friend who had come to visit. Witnesses added that Adeyemi’s mother was left traumatised after the operation and was later moved away from the residence by neighbours.
The development comes amid an ongoing controversy surrounding the PFIPC, which the Presidency has described as a fictitious agency. Adeyemi is currently facing charges of alleged forgery, impersonation and related offences over claims that he presented himself as the director-general of the council. The matter is before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Falana maintained that any allegations against Adeyemi should be handled through due process in court, insisting that law enforcement agencies should not resort to arresting family members in connection with a pending criminal case.
