Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Adeniyi Adeyemi, the self-proclaimed Director-General of the non-existent Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC).

The warrant was issued after Adeyemi failed to appear in court to take his plea in an eight-count criminal case brought against him by the Nigeria Police Force. The charges centre on allegations of forgery, impersonation, and related offences.

Adeyemi’s counsel, Genesis Francis, informed the court that his client fears for his life and has expressed concerns in an open letter to President Bola Tinubu that has since gone viral. Francis noted the surprise at how the matter has gained national attention.

Prosecutor Wisdom Madaki, however, told the court that this marked the fifth time the defendant had evaded trial, describing the repeated absences as unacceptable. Madaki argued that all five adjournments were at the instance of the defence and urged the court to issue a bench warrant under Section 349 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA).

Justice Umar agreed with the prosecution, stating that since the case began on December 4, 2025, the defendant had only appeared once and failed to show up for more than four consecutive adjournments.

“The defendant had showed up only once, thereafter he has failed to show up in more than four consecutive adjournments. For this reason I will accede to the application of the prosecution and issue a bench warrant against the defendant,” the judge ruled.

The court ordered that the bench warrant be served on Adeyemi and that he be produced in court on September 30 for possible arraignment.

Background of the Case

Adeyemi is accused of fraudulently securing office space at the Federal Secretariat in Abuja, opening multiple bank accounts, and obtaining a ₦1.3 billion allocation in the 2026 budget, despite the Presidency publicly disowning the purported council.

Investigations reportedly revealed forged appointment letters allegedly signed by Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, along with other forged documents. Adeyemi was previously arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) in June 2026 at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.

He is standing trial alongside two co-defendants, Femi and Anu (both surnames unknown), who are currently at large.

The Charges

The eight-count charge includes:

• Count One: Conspiracy to commit felony (forgery) punishable under Section 1(2)(c) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act.
• Count Two: Forgery of an appointment letter purportedly issued by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and signed by Femi Gbajabiamila.
• Count Three: Forgery of Presidential letter-headed papers.
• Count Four: Forgery of a request for collaboration and land requisition across Nigeria’s 36 states.
• Count Five: False impersonation as Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council, punishable under Section 179 of the Penal Code.
• Counts Six to Eight: Additional counts of forgery involving requests for office space, staff account approvals, and conveyance approval for the take-off of the purported council.

The case continues to attract significant public interest due to the audacious nature of the alleged impersonation of high-level government structures.

The Ogun State Government has issued a strong alert to residents over a circulating fraudulent social media message falsely claiming that Governor Dapo Abiodun is offering a ₦20,000 Youth Empowerment Cash Transfer through an online registration link.

In a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Information and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade, the government described the message as “entirely false and fraudulent,” labelling it the handiwork of unscrupulous individuals attempting to defraud unsuspecting members of the public by exploiting the Governor’s name and image.

The government emphasised that no ₦20,000 cash transfer programme is currently being offered by the state. It clarified that the online link being circulated has no connection whatsoever with the Ogun State Government or the Office of the Governor.

Residents have been strongly advised to refrain from clicking the suspicious link, providing any personal or banking details, or forwarding the message to others, as doing so could expose them to financial fraud and identity theft.

“Members of the public should disregard the fake message completely and rely only on information released through the official communication channels for authentic announcements on government programmes and initiatives,” Akinmade said.

The statement further revealed that security agencies have been notified to track down and prosecute those behind the criminal impersonation.

The Ogun State Government reiterated its commitment to protecting residents from such fraudulent schemes and urged the public to remain vigilant against online scams designed to exploit innocent citizens.

Kano State Governor, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, has officially announced the nomination of his deputy, His Excellency Murtala Sule Galadima Garo, as his running mate for the 2027 governorship election.

This was contained in a statement issued by the Governor’s spokesman, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, on Monday.

Governor Yusuf made the announcement during a strategic meeting with Federal Political Appointees of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu held at the Kano Governor’s Lodge in Abuja.

The Governor said that the decision followed Garo’s outstanding loyalty, commitment, and unwavering passion for the development of Kano State since assuming office as Deputy Governor.

He expressed satisfaction with the working relationship between them, noting that Garo had demonstrated competence, dedication, and a strong sense of responsibility in the discharge of his duties.

“I have no regrets for choosing Garo as my Deputy in the last few months, and he has proven to be the right choice so far. I want to confirm to you that I have every confidence in him,” Governor Yusuf declared.

The Governor also passed a vote of confidence on the Deputy Governor, describing him as a dependable partner whose contributions have strengthened the administration’s drive to deliver meaningful development across Kano State.

Governor Yusuf urged party leaders, political appointees, and supporters to remain united and committed as the administration continues to consolidate on its achievements while preparing for the 2027 general elections.