Breaking: Court Sends ‘Fake PFIPC’s DG’ Adeyemi to Kuje Prison
- Justice Mohammed Umar ordered the remand of Adeniyi Matthew Adeyemi in Kuje Correctional Centre, Abuja, after he pleaded not guilty to an eight-count charge
- Adeyemi faces charges of conspiracy and forgery alongside two other suspects who are currently at large
- The court adjourned the case to October 12, when a bail application and the substantive suit will be heard
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Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over nine years of experience covering politics, elections, public affairs, and governance in Nigeria and Africa.
FCT, Abuja - A Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday, September 30, ordered that Adeniyi Adeyemi, the man at the centre of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) controversy, be held in Kuje Correctional Centre after he denied eight counts of alleged conspiracy and forgery.
As reported by The Nation, Justice Mohammed Umar issued the remand order following Adeyemi's not guilty plea. The charges were filed by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and also name two other suspects who have not yet been apprehended.
Source: Facebook
Court adjourns Adeyemi’s bail application
After the plea, lead prosecution counsel Rotimi Oyedepo urged the court to keep Adeyemi in custody and requested an accelerated hearing to ensure the case moves quickly. His defence counsel, Genesis Francis, pushed back, asking the court to hear a bail application on Wednesday, September 30.
Francis told the court that his client had a medical appointment on Friday for an undisclosed ailment he described as contagious.
Per Channels TV, Oyedepo countered that qualified medical personnel and facilities are available both through the police and at the correctional centre. Justice Umar declined to hear the bail application on Wednesday, citing the court's heavy schedule, and adjourned the matter to October 12 for both the bail application and hearing of the substantive suit.
See below a photo of Adeyemi in court on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, via the X post:
How PFIPC scandal unfolded
The PFIPC controversy began when Adeyemi claimed to have served as the council's Director-General. Government authorities subsequently alleged that the council was never a legally established agency. During the ensuing scrutiny, Adeyemi allegedly admitted that his appointment was "purchased," claiming he paid N400 million through a middleman as part of a N600 million deal to secure the role.
The scandal widened considerably during a legislative probe. The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation acknowledged that government documents had not been properly verified, while the House of Representatives said it uncovered a broader network involving 12 additional alleged fake government agencies, 58 bank accounts, and 39 government insiders.
The controversy also triggered a N15 billion lawsuit by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, against Adeyemi over alleged bribery.
President Bola Tinubu directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on July 7, 2026, to investigate the council within 30 days. The ICPC concluded that Adeyemi's appointment letter was fraudulent and did not originate from the Presidency. Adeyemi was subsequently arrested by the Police Intelligence Response Team in Osun State.
The ICPC submitted its interim report in August 2026 and recommended his prosecution, paving the way for the charges now before the Federal High Court.
Atiku reacts as ICPC uncovers 'fake' agencies
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar rejected the interim report by the ICPC on the alleged fake PFIPC, saying it does not amount to a clean bill of health for the presidency.
The opposition leader's senior special assistant on public communication, Phrank Shaibu, issued the statement on Atiku's behalf.
Atiku, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections, argued that the report itself recorded evidence of negligence and connivance within government circles, which he said made it impossible to conclude that only one person was responsible for the alleged operation.
Source: Legit.ng
