Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has criticised the reported arrest of the father of Adeniyi Adeyemi, the man at the centre of the alleged Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) scandal, saying family members of criminal suspects cannot be arrested under Nigerian law.
Falana made the statement on Tuesday during an interview on Arise News, where he argued that the reported action by the police violated the provisions of the Constitution, the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) and the Nigeria Police Act.
His comments came as President Bola Tinubu directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to carry out a comprehensive investigation into the activities of the alleged PFIPC, which the Presidency says is a fictitious government agency.
The President ordered the anti-corruption agency to complete its investigation and submit a detailed report within 30 days.
Adeyemi, who claims to be the Director-General of the PFIPC, is currently facing trial over allegations of forgery, impersonation and the use of fake government documents.
The Presidency has repeatedly maintained that the PFIPC was never created by the Federal Government and has no legal backing.
Speaking on the reported arrest of Adeyemi’s father, Falana said security agencies must operate within the law and should never target relatives of suspects during criminal investigations.
“As far as the law is concerned, family members of a criminal suspect cannot be arrested in Nigeria,” Falana said.
“The reported arrest of Adeyemi’s father cannot be justified under the Constitution, the Administration of Criminal Justice Act and the Nigeria Police Force Establishment Act.”
Falana stressed that criminal responsibility is personal and that law enforcement agencies should focus their investigations on suspects rather than their family members.
According to him, arresting relatives in an attempt to compel a suspect to appear before investigators or a court is unlawful and inconsistent with Nigeria’s criminal justice system.
The senior lawyer had earlier condemned the arrest after police officers reportedly took Adeyemi’s father into custody while making enquiries about the whereabouts of his son.
He maintained that Adeyemi had not absconded and had consistently shown willingness to face the legal process.
Falana noted that his client had already appeared before the court several times and was expected to attend the next hearing in the case.
The lawyer insisted that the allegations against Adeyemi should be resolved through the courts and not through actions that could amount to intimidation of family members.
The controversy surrounding the PFIPC has continued to dominate public discussion after reports emerged that the alleged agency appeared in the 2026 federal budget despite claims by the Presidency that it never existed.
The matter has raised questions about how the council allegedly operated, occupied office space, communicated with government institutions and secured recognition without any legal instrument establishing it.
In response to the growing controversy, President Tinubu on Tuesday directed the ICPC to investigate every aspect of the alleged scheme.
The directive was announced in a statement issued by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
According to the statement, the investigation will examine the activities of the alleged council, the use of forged appointment letters and official government documents, as well as the circumstances that allowed the body to present itself as a government agency.
The ICPC has also been directed to investigate how official recognition may have been sought or obtained, the opening of bank accounts linked to the alleged council and the movement of any funds connected with its activities.
President Tinubu further instructed the commission to identify any weaknesses in government procedures that may have been exploited and recommend measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The Presidency also directed all ministries, departments and agencies to cooperate fully with investigators and provide all relevant information required to complete the assignment within the 30-day deadline.
The PFIPC controversy dates back to October 2025, when the Nigeria Police Force began investigating allegations of forgery, impersonation and the unlawful use of official government documents linked to the council.
Adeyemi has since been charged before the Federal High Court in Abuja on allegations bordering on conspiracy, forgery and impersonation.
He has denied wrongdoing and has repeatedly called for an independent investigation into the matter.
The case has attracted widespread public attention because of claims that the alleged agency found its way into the federal budget and engaged with government institutions despite questions over its legal status.
For now, Falana has maintained that while the allegations against his client should be thoroughly investigated, the rights guaranteed to every Nigerian under the Constitution must be respected throughout the process.
He insisted that the fight against corruption and forgery must be pursued within the limits of the law, warning that the arrest of relatives of suspects has no place in Nigeria’s criminal justice system.