ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered security authorities to grant detained Adeniyi Adeyemi access to his lawyers but declined to release him on bail pending the conclusion of investigations into the controversial Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council, PFIPC.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu, in a ruling on Thursday, directed the Inspector-General of Police and the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice to allow Adeyemi, who allegedly presented himself as the Director-General of the purported agency, access to legal representation.
The court, however, declined to grant his request for immediate release, choosing instead to hear from the police and the AGF before determining the other reliefs sought in his fundamental rights suit.
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According to Vanguard, aJustice Egwuatu ordered the applicant to serve the suit on the respondents and directed them to show cause within 72 hours why the reliefs should not be granted.
The matter was subsequently adjourned until September 9.
Adeyemi, who has been in detention since July, had approached the court through his lawyers seeking six reliefs, including bail, access to medical practitioners of his choice and protection from interrogation or extraction of statements without his lawyers present.
While the court granted his request for access to counsel, it deferred the remaining applications pending the response of the respondents.
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The development followed a bench warrant issued by the court on July 14, which paved the way for Adeyemi’s arrest at a hideout in Osun State.
Although the Federal Government has not yet charged him over the latest PFIPC allegations, he is already facing an eight-count criminal charge filed by the police in November 2025.
The case, before Justice Mohammed Umar, involves allegations of forgery, fraud and impersonation, with the court expected to take his plea on September 30.
The prosecution has listed several witnesses, including the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, alongside government officials and a police officer.
Adeyemi has denied allegations that the PFIPC was a non-existent government body and has previously claimed that he paid N400 million through a proxy to secure his appointment as its Director-General.
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He also alleged that the people from whom he obtained the money subsequently petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over the transaction.
However, an interim police investigation report cited by the prosecution alleged that Adeyemi forged appointment letters and other government documents to create the impression that the PFIPC was an authorised federal institution.
The police said the investigation began after a petition from the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President concerning alleged forgery of official appointment letters.
According to the police, some of the disputed documents allegedly contained falsified signatures, reference numbers, official seals and the Nigerian Coat of Arms.
Adeyemi was also accused of operating from an office within the Federal Secretariat Complex in Abuja while presenting himself as the PFIPC Director-General.