The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has explained why the alleged self-appointed Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), Prince Adeyemi Adeniyi, was not produced before the House of Representatives committee investigating the activities of the purported agency.
The explanation was contained in a letter sent to the House ad hoc committee and read at Wednesday’s hearing by the panel’s chairman, Yusuf Gagdi.
Adeniyi had been directed to appear before the lawmakers but was absent when the committee resumed its investigation.
Reading the police correspondence, Gagdi said the IGP informed the committee that Adeniyi remained in custody in connection with an ongoing criminal investigation into alleged conspiracy and forgery.
Gagdi said, “We have a standing rule. We are mindful of it.
“The first leg of the investigation is conspiracy and forgery, which is what has taken the man into custody. We are a respecter of the principle of the separation of powers.”
The lawmaker said he made the letter public to prevent the impression that Adeniyi had deliberately ignored the committee’s summons.
“I decided to read the letter so that members of the press would not say the man failed to show up. We have proceedings and procedures,” he stated.
Police Cite Subsisting Remand Order
Gagdi said the police explained that Adeniyi could not be brought before the National Assembly because he was being detained pursuant to a subsisting court order.
The chairman said, “The IG said the man is in custody because of a standing court order. He stated that the court remanded him, and that is why he is in custody.
“So, for him to be here, the court order has to be vacated before he can be brought to the National Assembly.”
He added that the committee would respect the powers of the judiciary and would not interfere with the criminal investigation being conducted by security agencies.
“We cannot tamper with the ongoing investigation. We respect the good jobs the Inspector-General of Police, the Police, DSS, ICPC, EFCC and the National Security Adviser are doing, and we would not undermine the whole process,” Gagdi said.
The chairman disclosed that the committee would continue to correspond with the police and other relevant agencies to obtain further information and resolve outstanding issues.
“We will keep writing to you so that we have further reports and clarify grey areas. By next week, we can lay our report on the resumption of this case,” he added.
The House committee is investigating how the disputed PFIPC allegedly secured office accommodation at the Federal Secretariat and received a ₦1.32 billion allocation in the 2026 Appropriation Act despite claims that it was never legally established as a government agency.
Adeniyi is also being investigated over allegations that he conspired with others, forged official documents, and falsely represented himself as the head of the purported council.
