ABUJA, NIGERIA — The self-acclaimed Director-General of the controversial Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, has rejected plans by the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee to interrogate him at an undisclosed location while in police custody, demanding instead an open, public hearing.
Speaking on Thursday, August 6, 2026, through his legal representative, Ademola Oyedokun, Adeyemi welcomed the ongoing National Assembly inquiry into the creation and operations of the council but strongly opposed any attempt to conduct his session behind closed doors.
Key Operational Highlights
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Demand for Open Probe: Adeyemi argued that since all allegations against him—including testimony from government officials and private contractors—were delivered in public, elementary fairness requires that his defense be heard in public.
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Constitutional Mandate Invoked: Counsel to the suspect urged the committee to exercise its statutory powers under Section 89 of the 1999 Constitution to compel the Nigeria Police Force to produce Adeyemi before an open sitting of the panel.
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Current Legal Custody: Adeyemi remains in detention at the NPF National Cybercrime Centre in Abuja under a subsisting Federal High Court order after being arraigned on an eight-count charge bordering on forgery, impersonation, and fraud.
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Reps Strategy Challenged: Lawmakers chaired by Hon. Yusuf Gagdi had previously indicated plans to grill Adeyemi at a private facility to avoid jeopardizing parallel criminal investigations by anti-graft bodies.
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ PFIPC PROBE & ADEYEMI LEGAL DEMANDS MATRIX │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ • Suspect / Key Figure : Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi (Purported DG, PFIPC) │
│ │
│ • Legal Representation : Counsel Ademola Oyedokun │
│ │
│ • Investigating Body : House of Reps Ad-hoc Committee │
│ (Hon. Yusuf Gagdi, Chairman) │
│ │
│ • Core Objection : Closed-door interrogation at undisclosed site │
│ │
│ • Demands Submitted : • Public hearing broadcast under Sec 89 │
│ • Formal police production warrant │
│ • Full legal presentation of defense docs │
│ │
│ • Current Status : Detained under Federal High Court order; │
│ police awaiting formal production order │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘“He Should Be Allowed to Answer in the Same Place It Was Said”
Asserting that public scrutiny is vital for a fair hearing, Counsel to Adeyemi, Ademola Oyedokun, stated in an official release:
“We have read that the committee intends to interview our client at an undisclosed date and place. We ask it, respectfully, to think again. Everyone else in this matter has been heard in public, and what has been said about our client was said in public. He should be allowed to answer in the same place it was said.” — Ademola Oyedokun, Counsel to Adeniyi Adeyemi
Challenging the committee to utilize its legislative powers to compel his physical presence at the National Assembly, Oyedokun added:
“Section 89 of the Constitution gives the committee power to summon any person and to compel his attendance. We ask it to use that power and to require the police to produce our client at a public sitting. He will attend on any date it names, with his counsel, and answer every question put to him.” — Ademola Oyedokun, Counsel to Adeniyi Adeyemi
