The Federal Government has filed a fresh 36-count amended charge against Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, the alleged head of the non-existent Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), and four others over alleged forgery, corruption and fraud.
The amended charges were filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), sitting in Maitama, Abuja.
The development expands the previous 22-count charge against Adeyemi and brings four additional defendants into the case.
The new defendants are Aminu Abdullahi, Ogaba Harry, Florence Omameh and Patricia Akhigbe, who are alleged to be civil servants in different government offices.
According to the prosecution, the amended charge includes allegations of criminal conspiracy, offering gratification, official corruption, abuse of public office and impersonation of a public servant.
Alleged N31bn Government Funds
The ICPC had accused Adeyemi of using forged documents to seek more than N27 billion from the Federal Government to establish the purported agency, alongside another N3.8 billion for personnel costs.
The commission also alleged that he forged an appointment letter purportedly signed by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, naming him as the council’s Director-General.
Other allegations include forging official correspondence to secure government recognition, obtain a domain name from the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and occupy government office facilities at the Federal Secretariat Complex in Abuja.
The prosecution further alleged that Adeyemi offered N210,000 to Abdullahi, an Assistant Chief Technical Officer in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, to facilitate the allocation of office space.
He was also accused of offering N300,000 to Harry, an official in the Office of the Chief Economic Adviser to the President, to facilitate the release of two government vehicles, a Prado SUV and a Land Cruiser SUV.
Why Arraignment Was Adjourned
At Monday’s proceedings, prosecuting counsel, Sylvanus Tahir, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), informed the court that the amended charge had turned the case into a joint trial involving five defendants.
However, the arraignment could not proceed because Omameh was absent from court due to illness and was reportedly receiving treatment at a hospital in Abuja.
Tahir told the court that the prosecution had served her with the amended charge and accompanying proof of evidence but requested an adjournment to allow her to recover and appear for arraignment.
Counsel to Adeyemi, Ibrahim Angulu, SAN, did not oppose the amended charge or the request for adjournment.
Justice Yusuf Halilu subsequently adjourned the case until November 18, 2026, for the arraignment of all five defendants.
The judge ordered that Adeyemi be returned to the Kuje Correctional Centre, while the other three defendants present in court were directed to remain in ICPC custody.
Background to the PFIPC Scandal
Adeyemi was initially arraigned on October 29, 2026, on a 22-count charge bordering on alleged forgery, impersonation and obtaining money under false pretences.
He pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
The case followed President Bola Tinubu’s directive to the ICPC to investigate the purported council after concerns emerged over its activities and claims of government recognition.
The Presidency subsequently stated that the PFIPC was never established by the Federal Government and had no legal basis.
The amended charges retain the earlier allegations against Adeyemi while introducing additional allegations involving the four newly joined defendants.
All allegations remain subject to proof before the court.
