By Kolawole Omotola Olaide
The Nigeria Police Force has detained Adeniyi Adeyemi, who allegedly presented himself as the Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), as investigations into the controversial organisation continue.
Adeyemi is currently being held at the headquarters of the Force Intelligence Department’s Intelligence Response Team (IRT) at the former Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) facility in Guzape, Abuja, where investigators are questioning him over allegations linked to forgery, impersonation and the operation of an alleged fake government agency.
Police sources disclosed that Adeyemi was arrested by operatives of the Intelligence Response Team in Osun State before he was taken to Ibadan and later transferred to Abuja for further interrogation.
His arrest reportedly followed a warrant issued by the Federal High Court in Abuja after he allegedly failed to appear for arraignment on charges bordering on conspiracy, forgery and impersonation.
A senior police officer, who spoke anonymously, confirmed that the suspect remains in the custody of the IRT and is assisting investigators with ongoing inquiries into the activities of the organisation he allegedly represented.
Earlier, the Osun State Police Command confirmed that operatives from the Force Intelligence Department-Intelligence Response Team carried out the operation at Adeyemi’s hideout in the state.
The command’s spokesperson, Biodun Ojelabi, explained that the arrest was conducted by officers from the Force Headquarters in Abuja during an early morning operation.
Meanwhile, the Force Public Relations Officer, Anietie Iniedu, said he would verify details surrounding the suspect’s detention but had not issued an official update at the time of reporting.
The development follows President Bola Tinubu’s directive to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the PFIPC controversy and submit its findings within 30 days.
In a related development, the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, has instituted a ₦15 billion defamation suit against Adeyemi over allegations that he demanded a 48 percent kickback from a purported ₦27.3 billion take-off grant allegedly approved for a federal agency.
According to court filings, Gbajabiamila is seeking ₦10 billion in general damages, ₦5 billion in aggravated damages, ₦200 million as litigation costs, and an order directing Adeyemi to publish a full retraction and apology in five national newspapers.
The suit also requests that the apology be pinned across all social media platforms and online channels where the alleged defamatory statements were published for a period of 30 days.
Investigations into the PFIPC matter are ongoing, while authorities are expected to provide further updates as the case progresses.
