Adeniyi Adeyemi, the man who accused the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, of demanding bribes linked to a proposed federal agency, has reportedly been transferred by the Nigeria Police Force from the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) detention facility to the National Cybercrime Centre (NCCC) in Abuja.
The transfer comes after Adeyemi spent two nights in IRT custody following his arrest in Osun State. While police sources confirmed the move, no official reason has been given for the transfer.
The development follows a ₦15 billion defamation suit filed by Gbajabiamila, who described Adeyemi’s allegations as false, malicious, and damaging to his reputation. The Chief of Staff is seeking ₦10 billion in general damages, ₦5 billion in aggravated damages, ₦200 million in legal costs, and a court order compelling Adeyemi to publish a public apology and retraction in five national newspapers and pin it to his social media accounts for 30 days.
According to court documents, Adeyemi alleged he paid ₦400 million through an intermediary and was later asked to pay an additional ₦200 million to facilitate presidential approvals. Gbajabiamila has denied ever meeting or communicating with Adeyemi or authorizing anyone to collect money on his behalf.
Court filings also indicate that Adeyemi admitted during an interview that he never met Gbajabiamila personally and did not independently verify the identity of the individual he believed represented the Chief of Staff. The Presidency has also maintained that the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, which Adeyemi claimed to head, does not exist. Adeyemi is currently facing separate criminal charges, including alleged forgery, impersonation, and operating a non-existent government agency.
The matter remains before the courts, and the allegations have not been judicially determined.