FEATURED
ICPC Re-Arraigns Fake Presidential Agency DG Over Alleged N30.8bn Fraud
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has re-arraigned the purported Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, Adeniyi Adeyemi, on 22 counts bordering on forgery, impersonation and fraud involving an alleged N30.8bn government funding request.
Adeyemi was re-arraigned before the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja, on Thursday, where he pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
The commission alleged that Adeyemi forged official government documents to portray the purported council as a legitimate government agency and secure official recognition, office facilities and billions of naira in public funds.
According to the amended charges, Adeyemi allegedly requested more than N27bn as a take-off grant for the purported council and an additional N3.8bn for personnel costs.
The ICPC accused him of using forged documents purportedly signed by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, to substantiate his claim to the position of director-general.
One of the charges alleged that Adeyemi 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 allegedly designed to appear genuine and enable him to occupy government office facilities at the Federal Secretariat Complex, Phase III, Abuja.
Another count accused him of forging a letter addressed to the Accountant-General of the Federation, seeking approval for the purported council to operate as a self-accounting entity.
The commission also alleged that Adeyemi forged correspondence to the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency to secure a domain name for the purported agency.
In addition, the prosecution accused him of offering 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.
He was also accused of offering 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.
In another allegation, the ICPC claimed that Adeyemi obtained N20m from the Managing Director of Divine Dopacy Nigeria Limited, Oyekunle Gbenga, under the guise of a project facilitation loan.
The prosecution linked the money to an alleged N2.8bn contract purportedly awarded by the council for the procurement of furniture and electronics, as well as the renovation of the director-general’s official residence.
The alleged offences were said to have been committed between 2024 and 2026 and contravened 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.
However, defence counsel, Ibrahim Angulu, SAN, made an oral application for bail, citing his client’s prolonged detention and health concerns.
Angulu told the court that Adeyemi had spent 155 days in detention and had 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.
The judge subsequently adjourned the case until November 9 for the commencement of trial and possible hearing of the bail application.
The re-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 was initially arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja on September 30 on an eight-count charge bordering on 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.
Police investigations reportedly uncovered correspondence between the purported agency and several government ministries, departments and agencies.
Investigators also traced 34 bank accounts allegedly linked to the operation, including nine said to have been opened in the names of purported government agencies.
In July, President Bola Tinubu directed the ICPC to investigate the activities of the purported council after the Presidency declared that the Federal Government had never established the body and that it had no legal backing.
The investigation was expected to examine the alleged use of 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 denied the charges by pleading not guilty. The allegations remain subject to proof before the court.
