A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of the self-acclaimed Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), Adeniyi Adeyemi, after he failed to appear for his arraignment on an eight-count charge bordering on alleged forgery, fraud and impersonation.
Justice Muhammed Umar made the order on Tuesday following an oral application by the prosecution counsel, Wisdom Madaki, who told the court that the defendant had repeatedly failed to honour court proceedings despite several adjournments granted at his request.
Adeyemi was expected to take his plea on the charges. Although the matter was listed as number 12 on the court’s cause list, he was absent when the case was called. His counsel, Genesis Francis, however, announced his appearance before the court.
Urging the court to issue a warrant for the defendant’s arrest, Madaki argued that Adeyemi had consistently frustrated the commencement of his trial.
“My lord, this is the fifth time this case is coming up, and all the adjournments have been at the instance of the defendant,” the prosecutor submitted.
Madaki relied on Section 394 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015, contending that the defendant’s repeated absence justified the issuance of a bench warrant.
The application was opposed by defence counsel, Francis, who attributed his client’s absence to alleged threats to his life.
He also reminded the court that Adeyemi had appeared for his arraignment on May 16 before the matter was adjourned.
In his ruling, Justice Umar held that the defendant’s conduct warranted the issuance of a warrant of arrest.
The judge observed that although the charge was filed on November 27, 2025, proceedings only commenced on December 4, 2025, and that Adeyemi had appeared in court only once since the case was instituted.
“Since then, he has failed to appear before this court on four consecutive dates,” Justice Umar said.
The court subsequently directed security agencies to arrest Adeyemi and produce him before the court on September 30 to take his plea on the eight-count charge of alleged forgery, fraud and impersonation.
