The embattled Director-General of the controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, Adeniyi Adeyemi, has denied reports that he is evading security agencies, insisting that he has only withdrawn from public appearances because of threats to his life.
Adeyemi made the claim during a telephone interview on Channels Television on Monday, days after a United States-based lobbying firm announced plans to support his bid for political asylum in the US over alleged threats to his safety.
He maintained that he was prepared to appear in public despite the risks, stressing that fear for his safety, rather than an attempt to escape authorities, informed his decision to remain out of the public eye.
"I am ready to show my face. I am not hiding. I am only staying away because I have credible information that my life is in danger," Adeyemi said.
He further alleged that there had been multiple attempts on his life but did not provide details or identify those allegedly behind the attacks.
The latest development comes amid the controversy surrounding the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, which the Presidency has repeatedly described as a non-existent agency.
A US lobbying firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, had earlier disclosed that it was willing to assist Adeyemi in seeking asylum and whistleblower protection in the United States. The firm's representative, Dr Von Batten, said Adeyemi and members of his family had received threats and were currently in hiding, adding that the matter would also be brought to the attention of members of the US Congress.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Police Force has filed charges against Adeyemi before the Federal High Court in Abuja over allegations of forgery, impersonation and other related offences. In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CR/562/2025, the police accused him and two others of eight counts linked to the operation of the purported agency from an office within the Federal Secretariat Complex in Abuja before his arrest.
The controversy has also drawn the attention of President Bola Tinubu, who directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission to investigate the activities of the alleged agency within 30 days.
Opposition parties have also demanded an independent probe into how the organisation allegedly secured a ₦1.302bn allocation in the 2026 Appropriation Act despite claims by the Presidency that it has no legal backing.
The Senate, however, declined to launch a separate investigation pending the outcome of the ICPC probe.
0 Comments