The self-acclaimed Director-General of the non-existent Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), Adeniyi Adeyemi, has been arrested shortly after a Federal High Court in Abuja issued a bench warrant for his arrest over alleged forgery, fraud and impersonation.
Adeyemi was apprehended moments after Justice Mohammed Umar ordered security agencies to arrest him for failing to appear in court to take his plea on an eight-count charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/562/2025.
The defendant was billed for arraignment on charges bordering on alleged forgery, fraud and impersonation. Although the matter was listed as number 12 on the court’s cause list, he failed to appear when it was called. His counsel, Mr. Genesis Francis, however, announced his appearance on behalf of the defendant.
The prosecution counsel, Wisdom Madaki, urged the court to issue a warrant for Adeyemi’s arrest, arguing that the defendant had consistently frustrated the commencement of his trial by failing to honour court proceedings despite several adjournments granted at his instance.
“My lord, this is the fifth time this case is coming up, and all the adjournments have been at the instance of the defendant,” Madaki told the court.
Relying on Section 394 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015, the prosecution maintained that Adeyemi’s persistent 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 before the court on May 16, after which the matter was adjourned.
In his ruling, Justice Umar held that the circumstances justified the issuance of a warrant of arrest.
The judge observed that although the charge was filed on November 27, 2025, proceedings commenced on December 4, 2025, and that the defendant had appeared before the court only once since the case was instituted.
“Since then, he has failed to appear before this court on four consecutive dates,” Justice Umar stated.
The court consequently issued a bench warrant directing security agencies to arrest Adeyemi and produce him before the court on September 30 to face arraignment on the eight-count charge.
Adeyemi was subsequently arrested moments after the court made the order and is expected to be produced before the court in line with the warrant.
