Fresh details have emerged in the unfolding controversy surrounding Adeniyi Adeyemi, the Director-General of the controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), as the Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Federal Government and the police to give him unrestricted access to lawyers of his choice.

Justice Obiora Egwuatu issued the order on Thursday while ruling on a fundamental rights application filed by Adeyemi through his counsel, M.B. Abdulazeez.

The court directed the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and the Nigeria Police Force to ensure that Adeyemi has “unimpeded access to lawyers of his own choosing at all reasonable hours.”

The development comes amid a growing controversy over the purported PFIPC, its legal status and Adeyemi’s alleged connection with the organisation.

The situation has also attracted the attention of the House of Representatives, which is investigating how the purported council found its way into the 2026 Appropriation Bill despite questions over whether it was legally established.

In a separate criminal proceeding instituted by the police, Justice Umar Mohammed of the Federal High Court in Abuja had reportedly issued an arrest warrant against Adeyemi in July after he failed to appear for scheduled proceedings.

His arraignment was subsequently fixed for September 30.

House Raises Fresh Questions

The latest court order came just a day after the House of Representatives released the preliminary report of its ad hoc committee investigating the controversial council.

The committee, chaired by Yusuf Adamu Gagdi, alleged that 12 agencies and entities and approximately 58 bank accounts were linked to Adeyemi, who had been presented as the Director-General of the PFIPC.

The lawmakers said they relied on oral testimonies, documentary evidence, financial records and submissions from government institutions in reaching their preliminary findings.

One of the most striking claims in the report was that the committee found no valid Act of the National Assembly or presidential directive establishing the PFIPC.

The committee further stated that evidence obtained from the State House showed that Adeyemi was not appointed Director-General of the purported council by the Presidency.

It also found no evidence that President Bola Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, signed Adeyemi’s alleged appointment letter.

The lawmakers consequently described the document as allegedly fabricated and falsely attributed to the Presidency.

“The Committee therefore preliminarily finds that the purported appointment letter was fabricated and falsely attributed to the Presidency,” the report stated.

58 Bank Accounts Under Scrutiny

The House committee also listed several entities it said were allegedly connected to Adeyemi.

They include the Confederation of United Nations Youths, FCT Investment Promotion Agency and Public-Private Partnership, FCT Investment Promotion Council and Public-Private Partnership, Foreign Investment Promotion Agency and United Nations Youth Global Agency.

Others are the United Nations Youth Global Foundation, World United Nations Youth Global Foundation, World Entrepreneurship University Limited, World Enterprise University Limited, FCT Investment Promotion Act, FCT Promotion Agency and Olubadan of Ibadan Foundation.

According to the lawmakers, preliminary findings indicated that approximately 58 bank accounts were associated with the identified entities.

The committee also disclosed that investigators uncovered a letter dated November 7, 2024, purportedly issued by the State House and addressed to the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF), seeking the creation or issuance of an administrative code for the PFIPC.

The letter was allegedly signed by an individual identified as Akambi Adewale, whom the committee said could not be traced to State House records.

Government Agencies Also Questioned

The lawmakers raised concerns over how the purported correspondence was handled by the OAGF and the Budget Office of the Federation, describing the circumstances as possible institutional lapses.

The OAGF reportedly acknowledged that any response to the letter should have been transmitted through an authenticated official channel rather than directly to Adeyemi.

The committee said it was examining whether the incident resulted from negligence, failure to follow verification procedures, breach of official correspondence protocols, deliberate disregard for due process or intentional facilitation.

However, the lawmakers stressed that no government official would be condemned without being given an opportunity to respond.

“No officer will be condemned without fair hearing. Equally, no proven breach of public duty will be overlooked,” the report stated.

On its part, the Budget Office reportedly submitted extensive information concerning its dealings with the purported organisation.

The committee said preliminary evidence showed that the Budget Office had received documents presented as proof of the PFIPC’s existence as a federal institution.

However, the lawmakers maintained that the legal existence of an institution must first be established before it can be recognised within the Federal Budget Framework.

With the latest court order now guaranteeing Adeyemi access to legal representation, attention is expected to remain focused on his pending criminal case and the House investigation, as authorities continue to examine the circumstances surrounding the controversial PFIPC.