The investigation into the controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) intensified on Wednesday as Nigeria’s Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) formally commenced the interrogation of the agency's alleged founder, Adeniyi Adeyemi, while in police custody.

The development comes amid a widening probe by both anti-graft investigators and the House of Representatives into how a council—denied and unrecognised by multiple federal institutions—managed to secure office space, gain inclusion in national budget proposals, and attempt to open official bank accounts.

Delayed Interrogation and Legal Representation

Investigators from the ICPC initially arrived at the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre at 10:00 AM on Wednesday to interview Adeyemi. However, in accordance with Nigerian criminal procedure guaranteeing a suspect's right to legal counsel, the questioning was suspended when Adeyemi’s lawyer failed to appear.

The session was rescheduled and resumed at 3:00 PM following the arrival of his legal counsel. Police sources confirmed that while preliminary questioning took place in the presence of the lawyer, the interrogation was suspended for the day and is expected to continue.

The interrogation follows the recent appearance of Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President, at ICPC headquarters in Abuja. Adeyemi, who was arrested last week, claimed that Gbajabiamila issued him an appointment letter for the position of Director-General in exchange for financial consideration. Gbajabiamila has denied the claims, initiated legal action against Adeyemi, and reiterated the administration's stance that the PFIPC does not exist.

Gbajabiamila’s legal team confirmed his full cooperation with the presidential directive mandating a 30-day ICPC investigation into the matter, which was formally ordered on July 7. The probe covers alleged forgery of presidential documents, unauthorized representation of the government, fraudulent visa facilitation, and the illicit opening of bank accounts under fictitious agency names.

Legislative Panel Summons Top Officials

Concurrently, a House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee, chaired by Representative Yusuf Gagdi, is set to question senior administration officials regarding the council's operations and its appearance in the 2026 Appropriation Act.

Among those summoned to testify are:

• Secretary to the Government of the Federation: Senator George Akume

• National Security Adviser: Mallam Nuhu Ribadu

• Attorney-General of the Federation: Lateef Fagbemi (SAN)

• Inspector-General of Police: Olatunji Disu

• Minister of Finance: Taiwo Oyedele

• Accountant-General of the Federation: Shamseldeen Ogunjimi

• Minister of Foreign Affairs: Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu

• Director-General of the Budget Office: Tanimu Yakubu

The committee is seeking clarification on how the unrecognised entity secured line items in the 2026 budget estimates and obtained office space within Phase III of the Federal Secretariat complex in Abuja.

Testimony previously delivered to the panel by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Dunoma Ahmed, revealed that Adeyemi had approached the ministry on three occasions between June 2025 and June 2026 seeking endorsement for a global investment summit. The ministry rejected the requests following due diligence and subsequently alerted the Office of the National Security Adviser. A November 2025 security response confirmed that Adeyemi was unknown to both the Cabinet Office and the Presidency.

The legislative committee has also ordered police to produce two additional suspects arrested in connection with forged documents from the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation. These documents allegedly granted budget participation and authorized a staff deployment waiver for 300 personnel.

Political Fallout and Calls for Transparency

The unfolding controversy has drawn sharp criticism from opposition leaders. Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar issued a statement highlighting contradictions between the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation regarding the authorization of bank accounts linked to the council.

Atiku characterized the conflicting statements from primary financial authorities as a critical failure of institutional oversight and called on the National Assembly to conduct a joint public hearing with both agencies. The opposition leader urged the administration to ensure a fully independent inquiry to resolve the discrepancies surrounding the agency's funding and legitimacy.