The Federal High Court in Abuja has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, the self-styled Director-General of the alleged non-existent Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), after he failed to appear for his arraignment on charges bordering on forgery, fraud and impersonation.
Justice Mohammed Umar granted the order on Tuesday following an oral application by police counsel, Wisdom Madaki, who informed the court that Adeyemi had repeatedly failed to appear despite several adjournments granted at his instance.
Adeyemi was scheduled to take his plea on an eight-count charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/562/2025, but was absent when the matter was called. Although his lawyer, Genesis Francis, announced his appearance, the prosecution argued that the defendant had appeared in court only once since the case was filed.
Relying on Section 394 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, the prosecution urged the court to issue a warrant for his arrest.
Opposing the application, the defence said Adeyemi stayed away because of alleged threats to his life. His lawyer claimed the case had attracted significant public attention and that his client feared for his safety, insisting he was willing to stand trial if adequately protected.
In his ruling, Justice Umar noted that the case was filed on November 27, 2025, and that Adeyemi had failed to appear on four consecutive hearing dates after making a single court appearance.
The judge consequently ordered security agencies to arrest and produce him before the court on September 30 for arraignment.
Among the prosecution witnesses are the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, officials of the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF), a Deputy Superintendent of Police, and other individuals connected to the investigation.
Speaking in a Channels Television interview on Monday, Adeyemi denied going into hiding, insisting he withdrew from public view because of alleged attempts on his life.
He also repeated his claim that he paid ₦400 million, through a proxy, to the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, to secure his appointment as DG of the disputed council. According to him, those who lent him the money have since petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Police investigations, however, allege that Adeyemi forged appointment letters, official seals, reference numbers and other government documents to present the PFIPC as a legitimate federal agency. The probe followed a petition from the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President over alleged forged appointment letters purportedly issued from the office.
Investigators further alleged that Adeyemi operated from an office within the Federal Secretariat Complex in Abuja while presenting himself as the council’s Director-General.
Adeyemi has consistently denied that the PFIPC is non-existent and has called on President Bola Tinubu to establish an independent multi-stakeholder panel to investigate the controversy surrounding the alleged ₦1.3 billion budget allocation to the council in the 2026 Appropriation Bill.
He also cited the death of Dolapo Babatunde Tanimola, an alleged intermediary in the matter who died in a hotel fire in Abuja, as another reason for remaining out of the public eye.