The House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating the alleged operations of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council has said it will interrogate the organisation's purported Director-General, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, at a confidential location while he remains in police custody.
The committee explained that the decision was aimed at preventing interference with ongoing investigations by the Nigeria Police Force, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
The panel is probing allegations surrounding the creation and activities of the council, including claims of impersonation, forgery, financial misconduct and the unlawful use of government facilities, official insignia and vehicles. It is also investigating the identities of those behind the organisation, its funding sources and whether any public officials aided its operations.
Committee Chairman, Yusuf Gagdi, said the lawmakers could not compel the police to release Adeyemi for a public hearing because he was being held under a valid court order. He stressed that the National Assembly would not violate the principle of separation of powers or undermine ongoing criminal investigations.
According to Gagdi, the committee will instead meet the suspect privately at a date and venue that will not be disclosed. He said the session would be recorded and conducted in the presence of the police and Adeyemi's legal representatives to ensure transparency without compromising investigations.
The committee also summoned the Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Shehu Mohammed, to appear before it on Thursday over Federal Government number plates allegedly used on vehicles linked to the controversial council.
The development followed the testimony of the Managing Director of Divine Dopacy Nigeria Limited, Gbenga Collins, who alleged that he paid N400 million to Adeyemi after being promised a contract to renovate and furnish what was presented as the official residence of the council's Director-General.
Collins told lawmakers he believed the council was a genuine Federal Government agency because Adeyemi operated from an office within the Federal Secretariat in Abuja, moved with security personnel and official vehicles bearing government number plates, and regularly received high-profile visitors.
He said Adeyemi, whom he first met during a programme in Ogbomoso in December 2024, later invited him to Abuja to discuss the contract opportunity and personally showed him the property said to have been allocated as the DG's official residence.
The businessman testified that he was later issued what appeared to be a contract award letter, scope of work and agreement before being instructed to pay N400 million as proof of his company's financial capacity and to facilitate mobilisation for the project.
According to him, N380 million was paid in four instalments into the account of World Entrepreneurs Limited, while the remaining N20 million was transferred to the account of Sunshine Confectionery and Catering Services.
Collins said he sourced the funds from business associates who trusted him because he had visited Adeyemi's office and believed he was dealing with a legitimate government official.
He alleged that despite repeated assurances that mobilisation would begin in August 2025, the project never took off, while subsequent explanations ranged from security concerns to promises that payment would commence in November.
The witness said he eventually became suspicious and sought legal advice before petitioning the EFCC in November 2025. He added that investigators later informed him that Adeyemi repeatedly failed to honour invitations from the anti-graft agency.
Appealing to the lawmakers, Collins said the incident had crippled his business and forced him to sell personal assets to meet obligations to those who contributed funds for the project.
Responding to questions from the committee, Collins denied that the N400 million was a bribe, insisting it was presented to him as a requirement for contract mobilisation. He, however, admitted that he did not follow the procedures outlined in the Public Procurement Act before accepting the purported contract.
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