Nigerian Man Charged for Operating Fake Government Agency

An enterprising Nigerian named Adeniyi Adeyemi is in legal trouble in Abuja for allegedly creating and managing a fraudulent government agency for over a year, reportedly securing around $1 million in funding from the federal government.

Prosecutors claim that in 2024, Adeyemi established an agency called the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) and appointed himself as the director-general. His operation continued until his arrest in October 2025.

Somehow, he managed to acquire office space for this fictional agency within the Federal Secretariat in Abuja, along with a substantial budget. He also obtained presidential stationery which he used to solicit cooperation from other government entities, and it appears that some of these requests were taken seriously. However, prosecutors have not yet charged any other officials with collusion.

Law enforcement officials indicated they have linked a total of 34 bank accounts to Adeyemi, including nine accounts supposedly opened under various government agency names. The investigation revealed that he even hired staff members to work for his fabricated organization.

Adeyemi, who falsely held the title of Director-General of PFIPC, even forged a seemingly legitimate appointment letter from President Bola Tinubu, supposedly signed by the president’s chief of staff, Femi Gbajabiamila.

Gbajabiamila was the individual who instigated claims leading to Adeyemi’s arrest, with the latter facing eight charges, including conspiracy and impersonation along with two accomplices, “Femi” and “Anu,” who are still at large.

Reports indicate that Adeyemi appeared in the Federal High Court in Abuja for his arraignment after several unsuccessful attempts to bring him to court. These prior attempts were thwarted for various reasons, including requests from his lawyers and his own absence. A judge had even issued a warrant for his arrest after he failed to attend a July court hearing, but he was apprehended within twelve hours. It took an unexpectedly long time, though, to get him in front of a judge.

Through his lawyers, Adeyemi said he missed his July date because he felt his life was in danger and even reached out to President Tinubu for protection. Interestingly, when he finally showed up in court, he didn’t seem particularly fearful, arriving in a baseball cap and a traditional kaftan.

Adeyemi pleaded not guilty to all eight charges and was placed in custody at the Kuje Correctional Center. He has stated in media interviews that his PFIPC was a legitimate entity intended to attract foreign investment into Nigeria.

The situation has sparked widespread discussion among Nigerians, who are often vocal about government corruption and inefficiency but are still astonished that an individual could operate a fake high-level agency without being caught for so long.

Critics of the Tinubu administration have suggested that Adeyemi could have kept his scheme running so long only by bribing real government officials to avoid scrutiny.

Adeyemi has claimed that he paid Gbajabiamila approximately 400 million Nigerian nairas (around $300,000) to assist him in creating his false appointment document. He has also urged President Tinubu to set up an independent anti-corruption panel to look into his case.