The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the remand of Adeniyi Adeyemi at the Kuje Correctional Centre after he pleaded not guilty to an eight-count charge involving alleged forgery, impersonation and conspiracy.
Adeyemi is accused of allegedly presenting himself as the Director-General of the purported Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), which prosecutors described as a fictitious agency.
Justice Mohammed Umar ordered his remand on Wednesday after the case was taken over by the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF).
Adeyemi pleads not guilty
The charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/562/2025, was initially filed by the police on November 27, 2025, against Adeyemi and two other suspects who are still at large.
The prosecution alleges that Adeyemi and the other suspects conspired between 2024 and 2025 to forge presidential appointment letters, State House documents and other official correspondence.
One of the allegations centres on an appointment letter purportedly issued by President Bola Tinubu and signed by then Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila.
Adeyemi is also accused of allegedly forging presidential letterhead and documents relating to requests for government collaboration, land allocation, office accommodation, staff accounts and the purported commencement of the PFIPC.
Another count alleges that he falsely represented himself as the Director-General of the purported council.
After the eight counts were read to him, Adeyemi pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Prosecution seeks remand
Prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, told the court that Adeyemi’s plea had joined issues with the prosecution and put the matter up for trial.
Oyedepo urged the court to remand the defendant, citing circumstances surrounding his conduct before his arrest and arraignment.
Defence counsel, Genesis Francis, told the court that Adeyemi had filed a bail application, which had been served on the prosecution and was ready for hearing.
Justice Umar subsequently ordered Adeyemi’s remand at the Kuje Correctional Centre.
The court adjourned the case until October 12, 2026, for trial and hearing of the bail application.
Defendant was previously ordered arrested
Adeyemi had earlier failed to appear in court for his arraignment, prompting the judge to order his arrest. He was arrested about 24 hours later.
According to the charge, he allegedly operated the purported agency from the second floor of the Federal Secretariat Complex, Phase III, Abuja, before his arrest.
The Federal Government had earlier directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the activities of the purported agency.
Prosecution lists witnesses and documents
The prosecution listed several witnesses, including Gbajabiamila, Paul Emmanuel, Jeremiah Imoukhede, Ituah Sylvester and officials of the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.
Other witnesses include Deputy Superintendent of Police Adamu Balongu, Ojo Victor, Omeh Amarachukwu and Wakili Saidu, who were allegedly posted to work with Adeyemi at the purported agency.
Joy Ngwoke, owner of Kachi Hotel in Abuja, and Ven Okoriko, pastor of St Matthew’s Anglican Church, Maitama, were also listed as witnesses.
Documents the prosecution intends to tender include the police investigation report, a petition by Gbajabiamila dated October 17, 2025, and an alleged presidential appointment letter dated March 8, 2024.
Other documents listed include correspondence concerning a request for a note verbale to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, alleged approvals for opening accounts with the Central Bank of Nigeria, a request for approval for self-accounting to the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation and an alleged approval for the take-off of the purported PFIPC.
The prosecution also listed correspondence concerning proposed collaboration with relevant ministries on land acquisition and office accommodation across the 36 states, statements obtained from witnesses and defendants, and photographs.
The charges allege that the offences were committed in Abuja and are punishable under the Miscellaneous Offences Act and the Penal Code.
Adeyemi remains entitled to the presumption of innocence unless and until proven guilty by the court.
