Police arrest self-styled PFIPC DG after court issues bench warrant

The Nigeria Police Force has arrested Adeniyi Adeyemi, the self-styled Director-General of the controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, PFIPC, hours after a Federal High Court in Abuja issued a bench warrant for his arrest over alleged forgery, fraud and impersonation.

Mr Adeyemi was apprehended in Osun State on Tuesday shortly after Justice Mohammed Umar ordered security agencies to arrest and produce him before the court following his failure to appear for his scheduled arraignment.

The defendant is facing an eight-count charge bordering on alleged forgery, fraud and impersonation in connection with the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, an entity the Presidency has repeatedly described as non-existent and unauthorised.

At Tuesday’s proceedings, the prosecution counsel, Wisdom Madaki, told the court that the matter had been adjourned several times at the instance of the defendant, who repeatedly failed to appear before the court.

Mr Madaki urged the court to issue a warrant for Adeyemi’s arrest under Section 394 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA, 2015, an application that was granted by Justice Umar after hearing submissions from both parties.

Although Adeyemi’s counsel, Genesis Francis, appeared in court and argued that his client stayed away because he feared for his safety, the judge held that the defendant had appeared only once since the charges were filed and had failed to attend four consecutive court sittings.

The court consequently ordered security agencies to arrest Adeyemi and produce him before the court for arraignment, adjourning the matter until Sept. 30.