Zainab Abioye
The Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday ordered the remand of the alleged Director-General of the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, Adeniyi Adeyemi, in Kuje Correctional Centre.
Justice Mohammed Umar ordered that Adeyemi remain in custody pending the hearing and determination of his bail application.
The court subsequently fixed October 12 and 13 for hearing of the bail application and commencement of trial.
Adeyemi, 38, is facing an eight-count charge filed by the police over allegations bordering on forgery, impersonation and related offences.
The charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/562/2025, lists the Federal Republic of Nigeria as the complainant, while Adeyemi, “Femi Surname Unknown” and “Anu Surname Unknown” are named as the first to third defendants.
The charge was filed on November 27, 2025, by a police prosecutor, Wisdom Madaki.
At Wednesday’s proceedings, counsel to the Attorney-General of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, informed the court that the AGF had taken over the prosecution of the case from the police.
Oyedepo, who is also the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, said the prosecution would review the facts and the charges.
He, however, urged the court to allow the charges to be read to Adeyemi so that he could enter his plea.
The defendant’s counsel, Genesis Eyibo, did not oppose the application.
Following the reading of the eight-count charge, Adeyemi pleaded not guilty to all the counts.
Oyedepo subsequently asked the court to grant an accelerated hearing, stressing that the matter had generated significant public attention.
He also requested that Adeyemi be remanded in custody pending the determination of the case.
“We further request that pending the determination of this charge and in view of the disposition of the defendant before his production before your lordship, we urge my lord to remand him in prison custody,” Oyedepo told the court.
But Eyibo informed the court that his client already had a pending bail application filed on January 12.
According to him, the prosecution had been served with the application and had filed a counter-affidavit, while the defence had also filed a reply on points of law.
He urged the court to hear the application, describing it as ripe for determination.
The defence counsel further appealed to the judge to consider Adeyemi’s alleged medical condition, claiming that the defendant had a communicable illness which could pose a risk to other inmates.
Justice Umar, however, held that the bail application could not be taken immediately because of other matters before the court.
The judge consequently ordered Adeyemi’s remand in Kuje Correctional Centre and fixed noon on October 12 and 13 for the bail hearing and trial.
The development followed an earlier order by Justice Umar on July 14 directing the arrest of Adeyemi after he allegedly failed to appear in court for his arraignment.
According to the court documents, Adeyemi allegedly operated the purported agency from the second floor of the Federal Secretariat Complex, Phase III, Abuja, before his arrest.
The prosecution has listed several witnesses, including the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; Paul Emmanuel; Jeremiah Imoukhede; Ituah Sylvester; and civil servants working in the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.
Others listed as witnesses include Akimbo Shola, DSP Adamu Balongu, Ojo Victor, Omeh Amarachukwu and Wakili Saidu.
The prosecution also listed Joy Ngwoke, owner of Kachi Hotel in Abuja, and Ven Okoriko, pastor of St Matthew’s Anglican Church, Maitama, among its witnesses.
According to the charge documents, some of the witnesses were allegedly posted to work with Adeyemi at the purported agency.
Among the documentary evidence the prosecution intends to tender are the police investigation report, a petition by Gbajabiamila dated October 17, 2025, and an alleged fake presidential appointment letter purportedly issued on March 8, 2024.
Other documents listed include correspondence involving the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, requests for approval to open accounts with the Central Bank of Nigeria, communications with the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation and documents relating to the purported approval for the take-off of the PFIPC.
The prosecution also listed a request for collaboration with the ministry on land acquisition and office facilities across the 36 states, statements of witnesses and defendants, photographs and other related documents.
The police said in the court documents that they reserved the right to call additional witnesses during the trial.
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu had on July 7 directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission to investigate the activities of the purported agency.
The ICPC was reportedly given 30 days to complete the investigation and has since concluded its probe.
The allegations against Adeyemi remain before the court, and he has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
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