A Federal High Court in Abuja has struck out the eight-count criminal charge filed by the Federal Government against Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, the alleged Director-General of the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC).
Justice Mohammed Umar struck out the charge on Monday, 12 October 2026, following an application by the Federal Government to terminate proceedings at the court.
The Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), told the court that the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice had reviewed the case file and identified legal issues that informed the decision to withdraw the charge.
According to the prosecution, the documents Adeyemi allegedly forged in connection with the purported agency fell within the jurisdiction of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), rather than the Federal High Court.
Oyedepo informed the court that a fresh charge had been filed before the FCT High Court and that the government intended to arraign Adeyemi again.
He consequently asked Justice Umar to strike out the existing charge to allow the case to proceed before the appropriate court.
Counsel to Adeyemi, Ibrahim Angulu, SAN, did not oppose the prosecution’s application. The judge subsequently granted the request and struck out the charge.
The decision followed Adeyemi’s arraignment on 30 September 2026, when he pleaded not guilty to the eight-count charge bordering on alleged conspiracy, forgery and impersonation.
The case was initially instituted by the Nigeria Police Force against Adeyemi and two other suspects identified in the charge as Femi and Anu, whose whereabouts were unknown at the time of the proceedings.
The prosecution alleged that Adeyemi and the other suspects forged official documents, including an appointment letter purportedly issued by President Bola Tinubu and signed by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila.
Other allegations concerned the forgery of presidential letterheads and official requests for office accommodation, staff account approvals and collaboration with government ministries.
The controversy surrounding the PFIPC came to public attention after the Presidency issued a disclaimer in June 2026, stating that the purported organisation did not exist under the Tinubu administration and that no appointment had been made through it.
The Office of the Chief of Staff to the President also warned the public against accepting the purported appointment as genuine.
Following Adeyemi’s arraignment in September, the Federal High Court ordered that he be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre after he pleaded not guilty. He had also sought bail, citing a medical condition that required attention from his doctors.
The prosecution opposed the bail request, arguing that the correctional facility had medical personnel and facilities capable of attending to his needs.
The scheduled consideration of the bail application was overtaken by the Federal Government’s decision to withdraw the charge before the Federal High Court.
The striking out of the charge does not amount to an acquittal on the allegations. The prosecution has indicated that it intends to pursue the case through a fresh arraignment before the FCT High Court.
The next stage of the proceedings will depend on the progress of the new case filed by the Federal Government.
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