The father of the alleged Director-General of the controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), Adeyemi Adeniyi, has been arrested by police in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, as investigations into the purported fake presidential agency continue.
The arrest comes amid fresh clarification from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF), which stated that no account was successfully opened for the council with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and that no government funds were disbursed to it, despite a budgetary provision.
The OAGF’s position contradicts an earlier claim reportedly attributed to presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga regarding the agency’s financial status.
Adeniyi has remained out of public view following allegations that he fraudulently established the PFIPC, an organisation the Presidency has since declared non-existent.
He is currently facing charges before the Federal High Court in Abuja over alleged forgery, impersonation, and related offences linked to his purported appointment as Director-General of the council.
Human rights lawyer Femi Falana confirmed the arrest of Adeniyi’s father during a telephone interview with journalists, describing the police action as unlawful.
According to Falana, police operatives raided the family’s residence at Plot 3, Adeniyi Dynasty, behind Technical College, Road Safety Area, Ogbomoso, where they arrested Adeniyi’s father alongside a family friend who was visiting.
“Police have now stormed the house of the parents of Prince Adeyemi Adeniyi. The father has been arrested. There is no legal basis for substituted arrests. The young man has promised to appear in court, so why arrest his father?” Falana said.
Residents of the neighbourhood also confirmed the incident, alleging that several police officers arrived in multiple vehicles before taking the elderly man into custody.
One resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, claimed the officers arrived in four vehicles and prevented neighbours from intervening.
“They came in four vehicles, harassed the family and eventually took the father away. They did not allow neighbours to interfere before leaving. There is currently a man in blue clothes patrolling the area,” the resident said.
Another resident alleged that Adeniyi’s father was arrested together with a visitor, while his mother was left distressed following the operation.
“The father was taken away with someone who came to visit the family. The mother was left in shock, and we have moved her to another location,” the resident said.
Falana has repeatedly argued that the allegations against Adeniyi should be resolved through the judicial process, insisting that only the courts have the constitutional authority to determine criminal liability.
Responding to inquiries about the reported arrest, the spokesperson for the Oyo State Police Command, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, said the matter was not being handled by the state command.
According to him, the investigation is being conducted by the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.
“The case involving Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew is a matter of national interest and is currently under investigation by the Force Criminal Investigation Department, Force Headquarters, Abuja.
“As such, it falls outside my jurisdiction. Anyone seeking information regarding the reported arrest of his parents in Ogbomoso or other developments should contact the Force Public Relations Officer or the FCID Liaison Public Relations Officer for official updates,” Olayinka said.
