A recent police interim investigation has shed light on an elaborate forgery and impersonation scheme centered on a fake government body known as the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC). The probe began following a formal complaint from the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President regarding the circulation of fraudulent appointment letters.
Authorities identified the primary suspect as Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Mathew, who allegedly posed as the Director-General of the PFIPC. Operating out of the Federal Secretariat in Abuja, Mathew reportedly conducted official business, held meetings with international stakeholders, and sought diplomatic assistance for visa applications. He was apprehended on October 27, 2025.
Subsequent searches of his residences and office yielded various falsified documents, official seals, and letterheads. While the suspect claimed he was assisted by a man named Dolapo Babatunde Tanimola, police confirmed that Tanimola had died prior to the arrest. Financial records analyzed by the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit revealed that the suspect controlled 34 bank accounts, some of which were opened under the guise of government entities, including an account linked to the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The police concluded that the PFIPC is entirely fictitious and lacks any legal status. Investigators are now recommending that these bank accounts be frozen and the case referred for prosecution. Meanwhile, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi has released an open letter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, requesting an independent, multi-stakeholder panel to investigate broader corruption allegations, including a controversial N1.3 billion budget insertion. He maintains that his safety is at risk and has expressed skepticism regarding the current investigative process, while claiming readiness to provide evidence if an independent panel is established. The Presidency has not yet commented on his request.