The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has re-arraigned the purported Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, Adeniyi Adeyemi, over alleged forgery, impersonation and fraud involving a N30.8bn government funding request.
Adeyemi was arraigned on 22 amended counts before the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja, on Thursday.
He pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
The ICPC alleged that Adeyemi forged government documents to present the non-existent council as a legitimate federal agency and secure government recognition, office facilities and billions of naira in public funds.
According to the amended charges, the defendant allegedly requested more than N27bn as a take-off grant for the purported council and an additional N3.8bn for personnel expenses.
The commission accused Adeyemi of using forged documents purportedly signed by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, to support his claim to the position of director-general.
One of the charges alleged that he forged a letter dated March 8, 2024, with reference number SH/COS/209/A/3456, purportedly appointing him to head the council.
The prosecution said the document was intended to make the appointment appear genuine and enable him to occupy government office facilities at the Federal Secretariat Complex, Phase III, Abuja.
Another count accused Adeyemi of forging a document addressed to the Accountant-General of the Federation with the title, “RE: REQUEST FOR APPROVAL OF SELF-ACCOUNTING STATUS”.
The commission alleged that the document was intended to enable the purported council to operate within the government’s financial reporting structure.
The prosecution also accused him of forging correspondence addressed to the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency to obtain a domain name for the purported agency.
In addition, Adeyemi allegedly offered N210,000 to an Assistant Chief Technical Officer in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Aminu Abdullahi, “to facilitate the allocation of office space,” without official authorisation.
The commission further alleged that he offered N300,000 to an official in the Office of the Chief Economic Adviser to the President, Ogaba Harry, to facilitate the release of two official vehicles: a Prado SUV and a Land Cruiser SUV.
Another charge accused Adeyemi of obtaining N20m from the Managing Director of Divine Dopacy Nigeria Limited, Oyekunle Gbenga, under the pretence of a “project facilitation loan”.
According to the prosecution, the money was connected to an alleged N2.8bn contract awarded by the fictitious council for furniture and electronics procurement and the refurbishment of the purported director-general’s official residence.
The alleged offences were committed between 2024 and 2026 and were said to contravene provisions of the Penal Code, the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, and the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
Following Adeyemi’s plea, prosecution counsel, Fatima Bardi, urged the court to fix a date for the commencement of trial to allow the commission to prove its allegations.
However, defence counsel, Ibrahim Angulu, SAN, made an oral bail application, citing his client’s prolonged detention and health concerns.
Angulu told the court that Adeyemi had spent 155 days in detention and obtained a medical report from the police clinic where he had been receiving treatment.
The trial judge, Justice Halilu Yusuf, directed the defence counsel to file a formal bail application before adjourning the case to November 9 for the commencement of trial and possible hearing of the bail application.
The latest arraignment followed the withdrawal of the earlier charges by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, on October 12 for amendment and refiling before the FCT High Court.
Adeyemi had earlier been arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja on September 30 on an eight-count charge bordering on alleged forgery and impersonation.
The case followed a petition by Gbajabiamila to the Inspector-General of Police and the State Security Service over the purported council and Adeyemi’s claim to be its director-general.
Investigations reportedly uncovered correspondence between the purported agency and several government ministries, departments and agencies.
Investigators also traced 34 bank accounts allegedly linked to its operations, including nine opened in the names of purported government agencies.
In July, President Bola Tinubu directed the ICPC to investigate the activities of the purported council, which the Presidency said had never been established by the Federal Government and had no legal basis.
The investigation was also expected to examine the use of allegedly forged documents, the opening and operation of related bank accounts, the movement of funds and possible involvement of public officers or other individuals.
Adeyemi has pleaded not guilty to the amended charges, and the allegations remain to be established in court.
