The Presidency has alleged that Adeniyi Adeyemi fraudulently presented himself as the Director-General of a non-existent government agency, forged an appointment letter purportedly issued by the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President, and operated 34 bank accounts under fictitious government agency names.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said Adeyemi is currently facing an eight-count criminal charge before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
According to the Presidency, Adeyemi was arrested by the police on October 27, 2025, following a petition submitted by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, to the Department of State Services and the Nigeria Police over allegations of forgery and impersonation.
The statement explained that Adeyemi allegedly posed as the Director-General of the so-called Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, an organisation the Presidency insists does not exist.
Onanuga said the police filed charges against Adeyemi and two other suspects on November 27, 2025, adding that the case is scheduled for hearing on July 27, 2026.
“He had been granted police bail when he resurfaced with another claim that the Chief of Staff appointed him as Director-General of the same fictitious agency. This contradicted his earlier statement to investigators and prompted another public disclaimer from the Chief of Staff,” the statement said.
Quoting Gbajabiamila’s petition to security agencies, the Presidency said forged appointment letters bearing fake signatures, seals and reference numbers were allegedly used to claim appointments into non-existent government bodies.
“The fake documents have been used to claim leadership appointments to non-existent entities, particularly the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council,” Gbajabiamila was quoted as saying.
He further alleged that those behind the scheme hosted meetings with foreign diplomats and Nigerians while presenting themselves as officials of a legitimate government agency.
“They even sought diplomatic support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the United States to facilitate visas for some of their staff,” the petition stated.
According to the Presidency, police investigations uncovered 34 bank accounts allegedly linked to Adeyemi, including nine accounts opened in the names of fictitious government agencies.
Investigators also alleged that he obtained a Central Bank of Nigeria account through forged government documents, although no public funds were deposited into it.
“The suspect’s actions constitute criminal forgery, impersonation and obtaining by false pretence, thereby bringing the Office of the Chief of Staff and the Presidency into disrepute,” the police investigation reportedly concluded.
The statement also revealed that Adeyemi informed investigators that one Dolapo Babatunde Tanimola assisted him in obtaining the forged appointment letter. However, police later established that Tanimola had died in a hotel fire in Abuja on October 22, 2025, days before Adeyemi’s arrest.
The Presidency said concerns about Adeyemi’s activities had earlier been raised by the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs after he reportedly hosted ambassadors at a hotel in Abuja without notifying the ministry.
The Foreign Affairs Ministry described the meeting as a violation of established diplomatic procedures and sought clarification from relevant government offices.
Responding to enquiries from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Gbajabiamila reportedly denied any knowledge of Adeyemi or the council he claimed to represent.
“Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi and the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council are unknown to my office, and I have directed security agencies to investigate the matter,” the Chief of Staff was quoted as saying.
The Presidency also recalled that Adeyemi had made similar claims in 2016 when he allegedly presented himself as President-General of the World Youth Organisation and claimed affiliation with the United Nations, a claim that was later discredited.
Onanuga urged politicians and members of the public to avoid drawing conclusions before the case is determined by the court.
“Those weaponising Adeyemi’s claims against the Chief of Staff should await the outcome of his trial and the court’s judgment rather than accepting his narrative without scrutiny,” the statement added.
The Presidency noted that it had earlier issued a public disclaimer in June 2026, warning foreign missions, financial institutions and the public that neither the purported council nor appointments linked to it had any official recognition under the Tinubu administration.
