The House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) has directed the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Disu, to produce the council’s Director-General, Adeniyi Adeyemi, before the panel within 48 hours.
The directive was issued on Monday during the committee’s resumed investigative hearing as lawmakers intensified their probe into the controversial council, which they described as an alleged fake government agency.
The committee said Adeyemi’s appearance was essential to provide firsthand testimony on the establishment, legal status and operations of the PFIPC.
The Director-General must be produced before this committee within 48 hours to answer questions relating to the ongoing investigation into the activities of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council,” the committee directed.
Lawmakers fixed Wednesday for Adeyemi’s appearance, stressing that his testimony is critical to uncovering the facts surrounding the agency and determining whether it was lawfully established.
Although the committee did not disclose the full details of the allegations against the council, members maintained that the investigation is aimed at establishing the authenticity of the agency and the circumstances surrounding its operations.
The PFIPC has been at the centre of public controversy in recent months following corruption allegations made by its Director-General against the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, over budgetary allocations reportedly linked to the agency.
The controversy prompted President Bola Tinubu to direct the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the matter and submit its findings within 30 days.
Meanwhile, Adeyemi is currently in police custody following his arrest in Osun State after a Federal High Court in Abuja issued a bench warrant against him in connection with alleged forgery and impersonation charges brought by the Nigeria Police Force.
The controversy surrounding the PFIPC has continued to generate widespread public attention, with opposition figures, policy analysts and civil society groups calling for a comprehensive investigation into how the agency allegedly appeared in the Federal Government’s budget, secured office space within the Federal Secretariat and reportedly operated domiciliary accounts with the Central Bank of Nigeria despite questions over its legal status.
