A Federal High Court in Abuja has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Adeniyi Adeyemi, the self-proclaimed Director-General of the alleged “Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council.”
Justice Mohammed Umar ordered the arrest on Tuesday after Adeyemi failed to appear for his scheduled arraignment regarding charges of conspiracy, forgery, and impersonation.
The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/562/2025, involves an eight-count charge filed by the Nigeria Police Force. The prosecution alleges that the council Adeyemi claims to lead does not exist and that he operated a fraudulent scheme using forged presidential documents.
According to the charge sheet, Adeyemi and two accomplices—identified as Femi and Anu, who remain at large—allegedly forged a variety of official documents. These include:
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A purported presidential appointment letter signed by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila.
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State House letterheads and official seals.
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Conveyance approvals for the establishment of the council.
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Applications for office space and requests for staff accounts.
The police further allege that Adeyemi falsely presented himself as the Director-General of the council while operating from an office within the Federal Secretariat Complex in Abuja.
If convicted of forgery, Adeyemi could face up to 21 years’ imprisonment, while the impersonation charge carries a maximum sentence of three years.
During Tuesday’s proceedings, Adeyemi’s counsel, Genesis Francis, argued that his client did not appear because he “feared for his life” and had written to President Bola Tinubu requesting protection.
In response, Justice Umar stated, “The court will help him be alive,” and subsequently issued the arrest warrant, adjourning the case until September 30, 2026.
This development follows an interview Adeyemi gave to Channels Television on Monday, where he claimed, “I’m ready to show my face. I’m not hiding. I’m only fearing for my life because I have it on good authority that my life is in danger.”
He also alleged that he paid ₦400 million through an intermediary to secure his appointment.
Adeyemi continues to insist that the council is legitimate, pointing to an alleged ₦1.3bn allocation in the 2026 Appropriation Act, and has called for an independent multi-stakeholder panel to investigate the controversy.
The police investigation began on October 17, 2025, following a petition from the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President.
Authorities also linked the case to the late Dolapo Babatunde Tanimola, who reportedly died in an Abuja hotel fire.
