We’ll report ‘fake’ PFIPC DG arrest to Trump govt — US lobbying firm

A United States lobbying firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, has said it will brief members of President Donald Trump’s administration on the arrest of self-acclaimed Director-General of the controversial Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), Adeniyi Adeyemi.

The Washington-based lobbying firm made the disclosure in a statement published on its X handle on Wednesday, hours after Adeyemi was arrested by operatives of the Nigeria Police Force following a bench warrant issued by a Federal High Court in Abuja.

According to the firm, Adeyemi’s arrest came while arrangements were being made for him to engage senior officials in the Trump administration over allegations he had raised against some top Nigerian government officials.

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“We learned a short time ago that Mr Adeyemi has been arrested by Nigerian law enforcement just as we were preparing for him to speak with senior members of President @realDonaldTrump’s Administration,” the statement read.

The firm further stated that Adeyemi was expected to submit documentary evidence and a sworn statement to U.S. officials.

“We are told that his arrest occurred shortly after it became public that we were in contact with him and just before he was expected to provide us with evidentiary materials and a sworn statement regarding his account.

“Those materials were to be transmitted to senior members of the Trump Administration, who had requested that we provide all available information concerning Mr. Adeyemi’s allegations,” the firm said.

The lobbying firm also alleged, without presenting evidence, that the arrest was aimed at stopping Adeyemi from sharing information with U.S. authorities.

“Tomorrow, we will report that Mr. Adeyemi has been arrested. We will also report our concerns regarding the circumstances surrounding his arrest, including information we have received suggesting that his prompt arrest was pushed by President Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, to prevent Mr. Adeyemi from presenting evidence to the U.S. government.

“We will keep the public updated on developments,” it added.

The statement came after the firm’s managing partner, Karl Von Batten, said in an earlier X post that he had already briefed members of Trump’s team on Adeyemi’s allegations and intended to extend the briefing to members of the U.S. Congress.

“This is Dr. Von Batten. I just spoke with Mr. Adeyemi. I found him to be sincere and credible. Based on our discussion, I believe his allegations warrant an investigation by Congress, @StateDept, @USTreasury,@USGAO, and other relevant U.S. agencies due to the alleged misappropriation of U.S.-funded World Bank loans by senior members of the #Nigerian government. This past weekend, I briefed senior members of President
@realDonaldTrump’s team on these allegations, and our team will begin briefing Members of Congress this week,” Von Batten said on Monday.

Tribune Online reports that Adeyemi was arrested on Tuesday in Osun State by operatives of the Nigeria Police Force Intelligence Response Team after Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court in Abuja issued a bench warrant for his arrest over allegations of conspiracy, forgery and impersonation.