PFIPC scandal: Falana alleges police arrested ‘fake’ DG’s father

The controversy surrounding the alleged Presidential Fiscal and Infrastructure Projects Council (PFIPC) deepened on Monday as human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) alleged that police operatives arrested the father of Prince Adeyemi Adeniyi, the central figure in the ongoing forgery investigation linked to the purported council.

Falana said police stormed the family’s residence in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, where Adeniyi’s father and a family friend were reportedly taken into custody.

He said: “Police have now stormed the house of the parents of Prince Adeyemi Adeniyi, Plot 3, Adeniyi Dynasty, behind Technical College, Road Safety Area, Ogbomoso.

“The father has been arrested. There is no legal basis for substituted arrests. The young man has promised to show up in court, so why arrest his father?”

Residents of the area also claimed that several police officers arrived at the residence in multiple vehicles before taking the elderly man away.

One resident, who requested anonymity, said: “They came with four vehicles, and they started harassing them and eventually took the father away.

“They didn’t allow the neighbours to intervene before they took him away. At the moment, there is a man in blue clothes patrolling the area.”

Another neighbour alleged that Adeniyi’s father was arrested alongside a visitor.

The witness said: “Baba was taken away with someone who came to visit them this morning. They left the mother, who is currently in shock, but we have moved her away.”

The claims could not be independently verified as of the time of filing this report, while the Nigeria Police Force had yet to issue an official statement on the alleged operation.

The latest development comes amid the ongoing PFIPC controversy, which centres on allegations that the council was never legally constituted despite claims that it operated under the Presidency.

The case has resulted in criminal charges bordering on alleged forgery, impersonation and related offences involving Adeniyi, with the matter already before the court.

Falana has maintained that the allegations should be determined through due process, arguing that only the courts have the constitutional authority to determine criminal liability.

The senior advocate has also cautioned against actions that could create the impression of intimidation or interference while the criminal proceedings remain before the court.