The alleged Director-General of the disputed Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, has been arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja over alleged forgery, fraud and impersonation.

Adeyemi, who has been in detention since July 14 following his arrest on a bench warrant issued by the court, was arraigned on an eight-count charge on Wednesday.

He pleaded not guilty to all the charges read to him before Justice Mohammed Umar.

Following the arraignment, the court ordered that Adeyemi be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the commencement of hearing on October 12.

The case has been taken over by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice from the police, with the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, leading the prosecution.

The prosecution also applied for an accelerated hearing of the case.

Counsel to Adeyemi, Genesis Francis, urged the court to consider his client's bail application, citing his alleged medical condition and a scheduled medical appointment on Friday.

However, the prosecution opposed the request, arguing that adequate facilities were available to attend to the defendant's health needs while in custody.

Among those expected to testify in the case are the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; Paul Emmanuel; Jeremiah Imoukhede; and Ituah Sylvester.

Other listed witnesses include civil servants from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, Akimbo Shola and Adamu Balongu, as well as a Deputy Superintendent of Police.

Before his arrest, Adeyemi granted an interview to Channels Television from an undisclosed location, where he said he had gone into hiding because of threats to his life.

He denied evading law enforcement authorities over investigations into the alleged PFIPC fraud.

Adeyemi also maintained his claim that he paid N400 million through a proxy to Gbajabiamila to secure his appointment as Director-General of the disputed council.

He said those who allegedly lent him the money had subsequently petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over the transaction.

An interim police investigation report reportedly detailed allegations that Adeyemi forged appointment letters and other official documents to create the impression that the PFIPC was a legitimate Federal Government agency.

The police said the investigation followed a petition submitted by the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President to the Inspector-General of Police on October 17, 2025, concerning alleged forgery of official appointment letters purportedly issued from the office.

According to the police, preliminary findings indicated that the documents contained allegedly falsified signatures, reference numbers, official seals and the Nigerian Coat of Arms, and were used to appoint individuals into the disputed council.

Adeyemi, identified by investigators as the principal suspect, allegedly presented himself as the DG of the council and operated from an office within the Federal Secretariat Complex, Phase III, Abuja.

One of those allegedly linked to the matter, Dolapo Babatunde Tanimola, reportedly died in a fire at a hotel in Abuja.

Adeyemi has, however, denied the claim that the PFIPC was non-existent.

He has called for an independent, multi-stakeholder panel to investigate the controversy surrounding the alleged N1.3 billion budgetary provision for the council in the 2026 Appropriation Bill.

In an open letter to President Bola Tinubu, Adeyemi said he was ready to provide documentary evidence and cooperate fully with investigators if an independent panel was constituted.

He proposed that the panel include representatives of civil society organisations, the Nigerian Bar Association, independent media organisations, international financial institutions, human rights groups, diplomatic missions, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and the EFCC.

Adeyemi also said his decision to remain out of public view was reinforced by what he described as controversial circumstances surrounding Tanimola's death, whom he identified as a key intermediary in the matter.

One of the charges against Adeyemi alleged that he, alongside two other persons identified as Femi and Anu, who are currently at large, forged presidential letter-headed papers on March 8, 2024, within the jurisdiction of the court.

Another count alleged that the defendants forged a request for collaboration with the Ministry on land requisition and office provision across the 36 states, purportedly issued by the State House, Abuja.

The charges were brought under Section 1(2)(c) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap M17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.