Fake Agency Scandal: Adeyemi finally appears in court for arraignment

Adeniyi Adeyemi, the man accused of creating and operating a purported government agency, has finally appeared before the Federal High Court in Abuja for arraignment after several failed attempts to bring him before the court.

Mr Adeyemi was led into the courtroom at about 2:33 p.m. on Wednesday, wearing a white long, flowing dress and a white baseball cap.

He was led into the courtroom by a female police officer of the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC). Although he appeared cheerful, he kept his head lowered, with the brim of his cap partly covering his face, as he waited for his case to be called.

His appearance comes after several attempts to arraign him since last year were unsuccessful for various reasons, including based on requests by his lawyers, his absence from court and the judge’s official engagement elsewhere. The case was listed for arraignment on 3 February, but the proceedings did not come up.

The case was filed in November 2025 after Mr Adeyemi was arrested by the police in October that year, following a petition by the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila.

The police charged Mr Adeyemi and two others, identified as Femi and Anu, who are said to be at large. They were charged with eight counts of conspiracy, forgery and impersonation.

In counts one, two, three, four, six, seven and eight, the prosecution alleged that Mr Adeyemi and the two other defendants conspired to forge several official documents, including a purported presidential appointment letter, State House letterheads, a conveyance approval for the take-off of the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), requests for approval of staff accounts and office space, and letters seeking collaboration with a federal ministry.

In count five, the prosecution alleged that Mr Adeyemi falsely presented himself as the Director-General of PFIPC, an offence punishable under Section 179 of the Penal Code. Mr Adeyemi has denied the allegations.

Police investigators had said they recovered correspondence between the purported agency and several government institutions and traced 34 bank accounts linked to Mr Adeyemi, including nine opened in the names of purported government agencies.

On 14 July, after Mr Adeyemi failed to appear for another scheduled arraignment, Judge Umar issued a bench warrant for his arrest following an oral application by the prosecution.

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Police arrested him less than 12 hours after the order. The arrest was confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES by police spokesperson Anietie Iniedu.

The police also said he was arrested in Osun State by the Intelligence Response Team from Abuja after he was traced to a hideout there.

He has remained in police custody since then, pending the arraignment fixed for today.

Judge Umar had issued the warrant after Mr Adeyemi’s lawyer, Genesis Francis, told the court that his client had failed to appear because he feared for his life and had written an open letter to President Tinubu.

Mr Francis said his client wanted to remain alive to face the trial.