Federal Government has filed fresh charges against Adeniyi Adeyemi, the alleged director-general of the purported Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), after a Federal High Court in Abuja struck out the existing eight-count charge against him.
Gatekeepers News reports that Justice Mohammed Umar struck out the case on Monday following an application by the prosecution to discontinue the proceedings ahead of Adeyemi’s fresh arraignment before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Rotimi Oyedepo, the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, told the court that the Attorney-General of the Federation had reviewed the case file and identified issues with the original charge filed by the police.
Oyedepo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, explained that the alleged forged documents linked to Adeyemi’s activities fell within the jurisdiction of the FCT High Court rather than the Federal High Court.
He informed the court that a fresh charge had been filed before the FCT High Court and that the government intended to arraign Adeyemi without delay.
Adeyemi’s lawyer, Ibrahim Angulu, did not oppose the prosecution’s application, following which the judge struck out the existing charge.
The case involved allegations of conspiracy, forgery, fraud and impersonation relating to Adeyemi’s claim to head the PFIPC, an organisation the Presidency has disowned as fictitious.
According to the prosecution, the alleged offences included the forgery of official documents, including a purported presidential appointment letter and correspondence seeking government approvals for the council’s operations.
Adeyemi had pleaded not guilty to the charges during his earlier arraignment.
The defendant had been in police custody since July 14, following his arrest in Osun State. His arrest came after a Federal High Court issued a warrant over his failure to honour court summons.
The PFIPC controversy attracted public attention after allegations emerged that the purported agency operated as though it were an official government institution, with an office at the Federal Secretariat, staff recruitment and an allocation in the 2026 budget.
Adeyemi had also alleged that Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, received N400 million through a proxy in connection with an appointment letter to the purported agency. The allegation prompted public scrutiny.
Following the controversy, President Tinubu directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the matter.
The fresh proceedings at the FCT High Court will allow the government to pursue the allegations under the court it considers to have the appropriate jurisdiction.
