Human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has described the arrest of the self-acclaimed Director-General of the controversial Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, as “the biggest cover-up ever,” alleging that the Federal Government is shielding key individuals instead of conducting a full investigation.
Sowore made the allegation on Tuesday in a post on his X account shortly after Adeyemi was arrested by the Nigeria Police Force following a warrant issued by the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The activist argued that the arrest and the manner in which Adeyemi was treated pointed to what he called “an official cover-up rather than a genuine search for truth.”
He also called for an investigation into the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, insisting that authorities should widen their probe if they are truly committed to uncovering all those involved in the controversy.
The allegations by Sowore came as police moved against Adeyemi, who is facing an eight-count charge bordering on conspiracy, forgery, fraud and impersonation.
The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/562/2025, was filed by the Nigeria Police Force after investigators accused Adeyemi of presenting himself as the Director-General of a federal agency that the Presidency has maintained does not exist.
Adeyemi was expected to appear before Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court in Abuja to take his plea.
However, he failed to appear in court despite his lawyer, Genesis Francis, announcing his appearance.
Following an application by the prosecution, Justice Umar issued a bench warrant directing security agencies to arrest the defendant and produce him before the court.
Police later arrested Adeyemi in Osun State, only hours after the court issued the warrant.
The court subsequently adjourned the matter until September 30, 2026, for his arraignment.
Reacting to the development, Sowore questioned why the investigation had focused mainly on Adeyemi.
In his statement, he alleged that the authorities were ignoring other individuals whose names had featured in the controversy.
He wrote: “BIGGEST COVER-UP EVER!
“The arrest and reported dehumanisation of Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, the alleged Director-General of a ‘fake agency,’ points to what appears to be an official cover-up rather than a genuine search for truth.”
Sowore further stated that if investigators were serious about uncovering the facts, President Bola Tinubu’s Chief of Staff should also be questioned.
“By now, President Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, @femigbaja, should also be under arrest and investigation if the authorities are truly committed to uncovering the facts,” he wrote.
The activist also repeated allegations surrounding a reported ₦400 million payment that has become a major issue in the case.
He claimed that the person allegedly linked to collecting the money on behalf of the Chief of Staff had died under mysterious circumstances.
He further alleged that the hotel where the money was reportedly exchanged had since been demolished.
“So far, the individual alleged to have collected the ₦400 million bribe on @femigbaja’s behalf has reportedly died under mysterious circumstances, while the hotel allegedly used for the exchange has since been demolished,” Sowore said.
He also accused the Federal Government of obstructing justice in the way the matter was being handled.
“In addition to the real crimes, we are now witnessing obstruction of justice by the @officialABAT criminal regime,” he added.
Sowore’s comments came against the backdrop of growing public interest in the PFIPC controversy.
The case first attracted national attention after Adeyemi publicly claimed to be the Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council and allegedly operated from an office within the Federal Secretariat Complex in Abuja.
The Presidency has repeatedly denied the existence of such an agency, insisting that no federal institution bearing that name is recognised by the government.
Police investigations later alleged that Adeyemi forged several official documents, including a purported presidential appointment letter allegedly signed by the Chief of Staff to the President.
Investigators also accused him of using the documents to convince members of the public that the council was a legitimate government agency.
Adeyemi has consistently denied wrongdoing.
Before his arrest, he granted media interviews in which he insisted he was not hiding from security agencies.
He also claimed that he feared for his life because of alleged threats against him.
During one of the interviews, he repeated his allegation that he paid ₦400 million through an intermediary to secure his appointment and called for an independent investigation into the matter.
Those allegations have not been proven in court, and the Chief of Staff has not publicly admitted to any involvement in the claims made by Adeyemi.
The Nigeria Police Force has maintained that its case against Adeyemi is based on evidence gathered during its investigation into alleged forgery, impersonation and fraud.
Under Nigerian law, forgery-related offences may attract lengthy prison terms, while impersonation is also punishable by imprisonment or a fine upon conviction.
The case is expected to continue attracting public attention because of the allegations involving senior government officials and Adeyemi’s claims about how he allegedly obtained his appointment.
With Adeyemi now in police custody and expected to appear before the Federal High Court on the next adjourned date, attention is likely to shift to the prosecution’s evidence and whether investigators will broaden the scope of their inquiry as demanded by critics.