The self-proclaimed Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), Adeniyi Adeyemi, has been detained at the headquarters of the Force Intelligence Department’s Intelligence Response Team (IRT), located at the former Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) headquarters in Guzape, Abuja, as investigations into the alleged fake government agency continue.
Adeyemi was arrested in Osun State by operatives of the Intelligence Response Team led by Chief Superintendent of Police Moses Lohor before being taken to Ibadan and later flown to Abuja.
His arrest followed a warrant issued by Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court in Abuja after he failed to appear in court for arraignment over allegations of conspiracy, forgery and impersonation.
A senior police officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that Adeyemi is currently being interrogated at the IRT headquarters.
“He was arrested by IRT officials, not by any officers attached to any of the commands. So, he’s presently at IRT headquarters answering questions,” Daily Trust quoted the source.
The source added that investigators are questioning Adeyemi over allegations surrounding the operation of an organisation allegedly presented as a Federal Government agency, as well as other activities currently under investigation.
On Wednesday, the Osun State Police Command confirmed Adeyemi’s arrest. The command’s spokesperson, Biodun Ojelabi, said operatives from the Force Intelligence Department–Intelligence Response Team carried out the operation at his hideout in Osun State.
“We are aware that the individual parading himself as the Director-General of the controversial PFIPC, Adeyemi, was picked up today in the state. The team that effected the arrest came from the Force Headquarters, Abuja. He was picked up in the early hours by operatives of the Force Intelligence Department–Intelligence Response Team (FID-IRT),” Ojelabi said.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Anietie Iniedu, said he would verify Adeyemi’s whereabouts when contacted but had yet to provide an update as of the time of filing the report.
The investigation comes after President Bola Tinubu directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the PFIPC controversy and submit its findings within 30 days.
Meanwhile, the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, has filed a N15 billion defamation suit against Adeyemi over allegations that he demanded a 48 per cent kickback from a N27.3 billion take-off grant allegedly approved for a federal agency.
In the suit filed before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Gbajabiamila is seeking N10 billion in general damages, N5 billion in aggravated damages, N200 million as the cost of the action, and an order directing Adeyemi to publish a full retraction and apology in five national newspapers.
“The claimant has never met the defendant, never held any meeting with him and has never authorised any intermediary, representative, agent or proxy to demand or receive money on his behalf,” the court document said.
The Chief of Staff is also asking the court to compel Adeyemi to pin the apology on all social media platforms and online channels where the alleged defamatory statements were published for 30 days.