Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force have arrested Adeniyi Adeyemi, the self-styled Director-General of the alleged Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council, ending weeks of efforts by security agencies to locate him after a Federal High Court in Abuja ordered his arrest.
Adeyemi was arrested on Tuesday in Osun State by operatives of the Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT), following a bench warrant issued by Justice Mohammed Umar after he failed to appear in court for his arraignment on charges of conspiracy, forgery and impersonation.
The arrest followed an order of the Federal High Court in Abuja, where the police had filed an eight-count charge against Adeyemi over his alleged involvement in operating what investigators described as a fake government agency.
The Presidency has repeatedly stated that the so-called Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council does not exist and has no connection with the Federal Government.
Justice Umar issued the bench warrant after the defendant failed to appear in court when the matter, marked **FHC/ABJ/CR/562/2025**, was called.
The prosecution, led by Wisdom Madaki, had urged the court to issue a warrant for Adeyemi’s arrest, arguing that he deliberately stayed away from the proceedings.
Although Adeyemi’s lawyer, Genesis Francis, opposed the application, the court rejected his argument.
The defence counsel told the court that his client feared for his life and had written to President Bola Tinubu over alleged threats to his safety.
According to the lawyer, Adeyemi chose not to appear in court because he wanted to remain alive to defend himself against the charges.
Responding, Justice Umar dismissed the excuse.
“The court will help him be alive,” the judge said before granting the prosecution’s application and issuing a bench warrant for Adeyemi’s arrest.
The case was subsequently adjourned until September 30, 2026, for his arraignment.
Barely hours after the court’s order, police operatives tracked down the suspect in Osun State and took him into custody.
His arrest was confirmed by the Personal Assistant to the Force Public Relations Officer, Aminu Koji.
“We have just confirmed the arrest of Mr. Adeniyi Adeyemi by a team of the Intelligence Response Team in Osun State. Thank you,” Koji said in a brief statement to journalists.
A video later aired by TVC News showed Adeyemi in police custody shortly after his arrest.
Security sources familiar with the operation said the suspect had been under surveillance for several days before he was eventually apprehended.
According to one source, operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) had initially tracked Adeyemi for more than a week.
The source said the operation became more difficult after the suspect reportedly switched off his mobile phones for about two days, making it impossible for investigators to trace his location through electronic means.
After the DSS team reportedly withdrew from the operation, the police Intelligence Response Team, led by CSP Moses Lohor, took over the search.
The IRT, one of the Nigeria Police Force’s elite tactical units, continued intelligence gathering and surveillance until Adeyemi was eventually located in Osun State.
A security source, who requested anonymity because he was not authorised to speak publicly on the operation, said the arrest was carried out on Tuesday morning.
According to the source, the operation was completed before the Osun State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan, was officially informed.
“The arrest of Adeyemi took place on Tuesday morning by the IRT squad, who immediately moved him to Abuja. After he was arrested, he was taken to Ibadan and from there to Abuja,” the source said.
Investigators are expected to present the suspect before the Federal High Court in Abuja when the case comes up for arraignment.
The police had filed charges against Adeyemi on November 27, 2025.
Besides Adeyemi, two other suspects identified simply as Femi and Anu were also listed in the charge.
The two suspects are currently at large, and security agencies have continued efforts to locate and arrest them.
According to the charge, the suspects allegedly conspired to operate a fake government agency while presenting themselves as officials of a presidential body responsible for attracting foreign investment into Nigeria.
The police also accused them of forging official documents and impersonating government officials to give legitimacy to the organisation.
The alleged Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council has generated controversy in recent months after the Presidency publicly distanced itself from the organisation.
Government officials repeatedly warned members of the public, investors and foreign organisations that the body was not recognised by the Federal Government and had no legal authority to represent the Presidency or conduct official business on its behalf.
The Nigeria Police Force has intensified efforts in recent years to dismantle criminal groups involved in forgery, impersonation and other forms of financial crime.
Authorities have repeatedly advised Nigerians and foreign investors to verify the identity of government agencies through official channels before entering into agreements or making financial commitments.
With Adeyemi now in custody, investigators are expected to continue efforts to uncover the full extent of the alleged operation and determine whether other individuals were involved.
The police are also expected to intensify the search for the two remaining suspects as preparations continue for Adeyemi’s arraignment before the Federal High Court in Abuja.