Nigerian Man Charged Over Alleged Fake Government Agency

Adeniyi Adeyemi has been charged with forgery and impersonation after prosecutors accused him of creating and presenting himself as the head of an unauthorised government agency. The purported agency allegedly obtained federal office space, secured about $1 million in budget funding and sought to open accounts with the Central Bank of Nigeria. Adeyemi denies wrongdoing and insists that the agency was legitimate.

A Nigerian man accused of creating a government agency without authorisation, appointing himself as its head and securing public funds for it has been charged with forgery and impersonation.
Adeniyi Adeyemi appeared before a court in Abuja on Wednesday, where prosecutors brought eight charges against him. He pleaded not guilty to all the allegations.
The case has raised questions about the checks used to verify government institutions and prevent unauthorised bodies from gaining access to public resources.

PROSECUTORS SAY AGENCY WAS NEVER AUTHORISED

Prosecutors allege that Adeyemi had, since 2024, presented himself as the Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council, known as PFIPC.
However, the presidency has said the agency was neither established nor authorised by the government.
Despite this, prosecutors allege that the purported organisation operated as though it were a legitimate federal institution and interacted with several government agencies.

PURPORTED AGENCY SECURED GOVERNMENT OFFICE SPACE

According to court documents, the organisation managed to obtain office space inside the Federal Secretariat in Abuja.
It also allegedly secured a budget allocation of about $1 million for 2026 and attempted to open accounts with the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Several government institutions reportedly processed requests from the organisation, apparently treating it as a legitimate government body.
The case has therefore drawn attention to how an organisation that the presidency says was not officially created was able to obtain government facilities, seek public funding and engage with state institutions.

ALLEGED FORGED PRESIDENTIAL APPOINTMENT LETTER

Prosecutors accuse Adeyemi of forging an appointment letter that purportedly came from President Bola Tinubu.
The document allegedly showed that Adeyemi had been appointed to head the PFIPC and was said to have been signed by the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila.
Gbajabiamila could not immediately be reached for comment on Wednesday.
He had, however, told a meeting in Lagos on September 26 that the police, Department of State Services and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission had cleared him of wrongdoing.

ADEYEMI DENIES THE ALLEGATIONS

Adeyemi has denied wrongdoing in interviews with local media.
He has maintained that the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council was a genuine government institution and said he personally approached budget officials to have it included in government spending plans.
His defence is expected to be tested during the court proceedings as prosecutors present evidence supporting the charges.

HOW HE WAS ARRESTED

Prosecutors said Adeyemi was arrested in Osun State after a judge issued a warrant for his arrest.
The warrant was reportedly issued after he failed to appear in court on five previous occasions.
Prosecutors have not accused any government officials of conspiring with Adeyemi in connection with the alleged scheme.

COURT ORDERS HIS DETENTION

During Wednesday’s proceedings, Adeyemi appeared relaxed, smiling and speaking with his lawyers before prosecutors read the eight charges against him.
He pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
The court subsequently ordered that he remain in prison custody pending his next scheduled appearance on October 12.
The case will determine whether the prosecution can establish its allegations and whether the documents and activities linked to the purported agency were carried out fraudulently.