PFIPC probe: Why we didn’t produce Adeyemi – IG

The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has explained why the Nigeria Police Force could not produce Prince Adeyemi Adeniyi, the self-styled Director-General of the alleged fake Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council, before the House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee investigating the activities of the controversial body on Wednesday.

The committee, chaired by the lawmaker representing Kanke/Kanam/Pankshin Federal Constituency of Plateau State, Yusuf Gagdi, had on Monday directed the IGP to produce Adeyemi to answer questions arising from testimonies presented by several government institutions.

The directive followed submissions from the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Budget Office of the Federation, the Nigeria Police Force and other agencies, all of which distanced themselves from the purported council.

At the resumed investigative hearing on Wednesday, the IGP was represented by Deputy Director at the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Olufemi Akinola, who appeared alongside Assistant Commissioner of Police Bashir Abdullahi.

Addressing the committee, Akinola explained that Adeyemi could not be produced because he was being held pursuant to a valid order of the Federal High Court.

He said the police would require a production warrant or other appropriate order from the court before complying with the committee’s request.

“We are here to convey the confidence of the Inspector-General of Police.

“The Nigeria Police Force may not be able to produce the suspect as requested in view of the subsisting warrant. The Nigeria Police Force recognises the constitutional oversight powers of the National Assembly and remains committed to cooperating with the committee in the discharge of its mandate.

“However, in this case, it will be appreciated if a production warrant could be obtained from a court of competent jurisdiction to enable the police to comply with this request,” Akinola said.

In response, the committee chairman, Yusuf Gagdi, accepted the explanation and assured the police that the committee would take the necessary legal steps to obtain the required court order.

He also pledged that the committee would communicate with the Office of the Inspector-General of Police as soon as the order is secured.

The House of Representatives constituted the ad hoc committee to investigate the activities of the purported Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council following allegations that it operated without legal backing while presenting itself as a Federal Government agency.

During earlier sittings, key government institutions, including the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Budget Office of the Federation, informed the committee that they neither recognised the council nor had any official dealings with it after discovering that it was fake.

The committee’s ongoing investigation is expected to establish the circumstances surrounding the creation and operations of the body, identify those responsible, and recommend appropriate legislative and legal actions.