Panel finds 58 bank accounts linked to alleged PFIPC DG, probes ₦400m transaction; exonerates Gbajabiamila from alleged involvement

The House of Representatives Ad Hoc Committee investigating the controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) has uncovered what it described as widespread forgery, alteration and misuse of presidential and legislative documents allegedly deployed to give the purported organisation official status.

The committee, chaired by Rep. Yusuf Adamu Gagdi, also disclosed the discovery of approximately 58 bank accounts allegedly linked to Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, who presented himself as Director-General of the purported council, as well as an alleged ₦400 million transaction now under investigation.

However, the lawmakers said their preliminary findings found no evidence that the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, authorised, established or participated in the activities of the purported organisation.

Instead, the committee said documentary evidence showed that Gbajabiamila took steps to initiate investigations after concerns about the organisation were brought to his attention.

According to the panel, the organisation was not lawfully established by the Federal Government and allegedly relied on fabricated, forged or altered documents to create an appearance of legitimacy.

Alleged fake appointment letter

One of the documents examined by the committee was a purported letter appointing Adeyemi as Director-General of the PFIPC.

The letter allegedly bore the authority and signature of Gbajabiamila.

The committee, however, said verification with the State House established that no such appointment had been made or approved by the Presidency.

It said the Chief of Staff neither issued nor signed the document.

The panel also found that the letterhead used was not authentic State House letterhead and that its purported reference number did not correspond with the Presidency's official referencing system.

“The format, language and administrative features of the document departed materially from official State House correspondence,” the committee stated.

It consequently made a preliminary finding that the purported appointment letter was “fabricated and falsely attributed to the Presidency.”

Gbajabiamila exonerated

Rather than finding evidence linking Gbajabiamila to the alleged scheme, the committee said available documents indicated that he had taken steps to trigger investigations into the organisation.

The lawmakers said that after receiving an alert from the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) over suspected fraudulent activities and alleged misuse of government institutional materials, Gbajabiamila acted within a day.

According to the committee, he communicated with the Nigeria Police Force, Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Department of State Services (DSS) and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The committee said he also initiated administrative verification through relevant government institutions.

It added that when further concerns emerged over a proposed World Investment Summit, the Chief of Staff issued additional communications requesting investigation and appropriate action.

“In one of its strongest findings, the committee stated: “The documentary evidence presently before the Committee does not establish that the Chief of Staff authorised, approved, established or participated in the activities of the purported organisation.”

“On the contrary, the evidence demonstrates repeated steps to secure investigation, institutional verification and appropriate administrative action,” it added.

The committee consequently commended Gbajabiamila for what it described as timely security and administrative interventions whenever the matter was formally brought to his attention.

Alleged fake Executive Order

The investigation also uncovered a purported Presidential Executive Order No. 5 dated February 24, 2026.

The document was allegedly presented as the legal instrument establishing or giving authority to the PFIPC.

The committee said, however, that evidence before it indicated that the document was neither issued nor approved through lawful presidential processes.

“The evidence presently available indicates that the document was not an authentic Executive Order of the President and was neither issued nor approved through the lawful processes of the Presidency,” the panel said.

The lawmakers described the alleged fabrication of a presidential instrument as a serious matter capable of undermining the authority and integrity of the Nigerian state.

Purported National Assembly Act allegedly altered

The committee also said it uncovered what it described as the alleged mutilation and fabrication of a document presented as an Act of the National Assembly establishing the purported agency.

According to the panel, the document was never passed by both chambers of the National Assembly, assented to by the President or gazetted as an Act of the Federation.

The committee further said portions of a document relating to another institution appeared to have been electronically altered, mutilated or substituted to create the impression that Parliament had established the PFIPC.

“The Committee considers this aspect of the investigation particularly grave,” the report stated.

It added that “no individual, organisation or group has the lawful authority to manufacture legislative authority by editing, mutilating, substituting or fabricating a document and presenting it as an enactment of Parliament.”

Fake State House letter allegedly used to secure government code

Another document examined by the committee was a letter dated November 7, 2024, purportedly issued by the State House and addressed to the Accountant-General of the Federation.

The letter allegedly requested an administrative code for the PFIPC and was purportedly signed by one Akambi Adewale, described as a Director of Administration and Support Services.

The committee said verification with the State House established that the office represented in the document did not exist in the stated form.

It also said the purported directorate did not exist as represented and that no State House official known as Akambi Adewale served in the claimed capacity.

“The Committee therefore preliminarily finds that fictitious names, offices and official designations were deployed in a document calculated to mislead an important financial institution of the Federal Government,” the report stated.

Accountant-General, Budget Office under scrutiny

The Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation confirmed that its response to the purported State House request was authentic, according to the committee.

However, the originating request was allegedly forged.

The Accountant-General's office also acknowledged that its response ought not to have been released to Adeyemi or another unauthorised individual, but should have been transmitted through a properly authenticated official channel.

The committee said it was investigating whether the incident resulted from negligence, failure to comply with verification requirements, breach of correspondence procedures, wilful disregard of due process or deliberate facilitation.

The Budget Office of the Federation is also under scrutiny over how the purported organisation allegedly gained recognition within the Federal Budget Framework despite lacking lawful status.

Purported agency occupied Federal Secretariat office

The committee further found that the organisation occupied office accommodation within the Federal Secretariat Complex without lawful allocation from the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.

Evidence before the panel indicated that part of accommodation previously allocated to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation was subsequently made available to the purported organisation by some officers without lawful authority.

The lawmakers said the occupation of the facility helped the organisation project itself as a legitimate federal institution.

39 people allegedly recruited

The committee disclosed that approximately 39 people were allegedly presented as employees of the purported organisation.

It said it was examining their recruitment, appointment letters, identity cards, salaries and allowances.

The panel is also investigating allegations that some individuals may have been required to pay money as a condition for employment.

It said it would distinguish between individuals who were allegedly deceived and those who knowingly participated in or benefited from the activities under investigation.

58 bank accounts linked to alleged PFIPC network

A major aspect of the investigation concerns the financial activities allegedly linked to Adeyemi, who also appeared in some records as Adeyemi Matthew.

The committee said preliminary financial information indicated that identifying details associated with Adeyemi were linked to approximately 58 bank accounts.

More than 30 of the accounts were reportedly operated in the names of different agencies, companies, foundations or related entities.

The lawmakers said they were still reconciling registration records, account mandates, beneficial ownership information and transaction histories.

The committee, however, cautioned that the discovery did not mean every account or entity identified was unlawful.

₦400m transaction under investigation

The panel also disclosed an allegation involving approximately ₦400 million allegedly paid by a company to Adeyemi in four instalments.

The company reportedly claimed that it was induced to make the payments after being promised a contract involving the renovation, furnishing or improvement of a residence purportedly allocated to Adeyemi in his claimed official capacity.

The committee said it was tracing the destinations of the funds, account holders and beneficial owners.

It is also investigating the ownership and status of the property allegedly presented as an official residence.

The lawmakers stressed that criminal guilt had not been established and that all persons affected by the investigation remained entitled to fair hearing and due process.

Committee warns against impersonating Presidency, National Assembly

The committee said the investigation had exposed issues extending beyond the alleged creation of a fake government agency, warning that the alleged fabrication of presidential and legislative documents posed a serious threat to the integrity of Nigeria's constitutional institutions.

“The National Assembly cannot permit its legislative authority to be counterfeited,” the committee declared.

“The Presidency cannot be impersonated with impunity.”

It further stated: “The identity, authority and instruments of the Federal Republic of Nigeria cannot be appropriated by any private individual or organisation for personal advantage.”

The committee said its preliminary evidence identified Adeyemi as the principal person associated with the representation and operation of the purported organisation and with a wider network of related entities.

However, it emphasised that its findings remained preliminary and did not constitute a final determination of criminal guilt.

Panel recommends further investigation

The committee recommended that security and anti-corruption agencies conclude their investigations and prosecute any individual against whom sufficient admissible evidence is established.

It also called for the tracing, preservation, freezing and recovery of proceeds of any established unlawful activity, subject to applicable laws and judicial processes.

The panel said it would complete outstanding aspects of its investigation before submitting its final report to the House of Representatives.

The final report is expected to identify individual and institutional responsibilities and recommend possible legislative, administrative, disciplinary, civil, financial and criminal action.

On the allegation that Gbajabiamila authorised or participated in the purported PFIPC, however, the committee's preliminary position was unequivocal: it found no evidence establishing such involvement.

Instead, the lawmakers said the available evidence showed that the Chief of Staff took steps to trigger investigations and institutional verification after concerns about the purported organisation were brought to his attention.