The Federal High Court in Abuja has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of the self-acclaimed Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, after he failed to appear for his scheduled arraignment on allegations of forgery, fraud and impersonation.
Justice Mohammed Umar granted the application on Tuesday after the prosecution, led by the Inspector-General of Police, requested a warrant for Adeyemi’s arrest following his absence from court. The case, which was listed as number 12 on the court’s cause list, could not proceed because the defendant was not present.
Adeyemi is facing an eight-count charge bordering on certificate forgery, fraud and impersonation. The charges against him and two other defendants were filed on November 27, 2025, by police prosecutor Wisdom Madaki.
The prosecution has listed several witnesses, including the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, Paul Emmanuel, Jeremiah Imoukhede and Ituah Sylvester.
Also expected to testify are civil servants in the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF), Akimbo Shola and Adamu Balongu, as well as a Deputy Superintendent of Police.
Adeyemi’s failure to appear in court came a day after he appeared on Channels Television, where he said he had withdrawn from public view because of alleged threats to his life. He denied claims that he was hiding from law enforcement agencies or attempting to evade investigations into the alleged PFIPC fraud.
During the interview, Adeyemi also repeated his allegation that he paid ₦400 million through a proxy to President Bola Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, to secure his appointment as Director-General of the disputed agency.
He further claimed that individuals from whom he borrowed the ₦400 million later petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in an effort to recover the money.
The allegations remain before the court, and the issuance of the bench warrant marks the next step in the ongoing criminal proceedings against Adeyemi.
