Reps Uncover 29 Forged Documents in Fake Agency Probe

The House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating the controversial Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) has uncovered about 29 documents allegedly forged in connection with the operations of the unestablished agency, deepening concerns over what lawmakers described as a coordinated attempt to create legitimacy for the organisation.

The committee also directed the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to produce the self-acclaimed Director-General of the council, Prince Adeyemi Adeniyi, before it within 48 hours to answer questions arising from the ongoing investigation.

The directives were issued on Monday during the committee’s resumed hearing at the National Assembly after lawmakers received updates from the Nigeria Police Force on its investigation into the matter.

Representing the IGP, Assistant Commissioner of Police Bashir Abdullahi disclosed that the police had already arraigned Adeyemi before the Federal High Court on an eight-count charge following investigations prompted by petitions from the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President.

He, however, urged the lawmakers to avoid questions that could prejudice the ongoing criminal proceedings.

“The Nigerian Police Force investigated part of this case late last year and filed eight-count charges before a Federal High Court. The case is ongoing,” Abdullahi said.

He explained that investigations commenced after the police received a petition dated October 17, 2025, alleging that Adeyemi falsely presented himself as the Director-General of both the Presidential Economic Advisory Council and the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council.

According to the police, another petition accused the suspect of using the purported office to obtain accommodation at the Federal Secretariat, seek approval to recruit about 300 personnel, pursue a ₦1.3 billion allocation for the non-existent agency in the 2026 Appropriation Act and plan a World Investment Summit under the council’s name.

One of the highpoints of the hearing came when lawmakers sought clarification on signatures appearing on documents purportedly issued from the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President.

When asked whether the signatures matched authentic government correspondence examined during the investigation, Abdullahi responded: “They are not the same.”

Reacting to the disclosure, Chairman of the committee, Rep. Yusuf Gagdi, said the findings had strengthened the panel’s suspicion that several official government documents had been forged.

“So, it is not only a letter that was suspected to be forged? We are dealing with documents that include what is said to be a forged Act of the National Assembly in an attempt to establish a fake agency,” Gagdi said.

He disclosed that the committee had identified about 29 allegedly forged documents, including purported approvals from the State House, the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Federal Ministry of Finance and other government institutions.

According to him, representatives of many of the affected agencies had already appeared before the committee and denied issuing the documents attributed to their offices.

Gagdi said the committee had deliberately exercised caution to avoid compelling the police to disclose sensitive details capable of undermining the ongoing investigation and court proceedings.

“We are avoiding a situation whereby they will be pushed to make statements that will undermine their ongoing investigation,” he said.

The committee subsequently directed the Inspector-General of Police to produce Adeyemi before the panel by noon on Wednesday.

“This committee clearly needs the suspected DG to appear before this committee. People’s names are involved. People’s integrity is involved. Institutional names are involved. Institutional integrity is involved.

“It is not an option now. We will need him here to confirm some documents to us in such a way that will not undermine our investigation to enable us to submit our report on time,” Gagdi added.

The committee is probing how the PFIPC allegedly secured office accommodation at the Federal Secretariat and obtained a ₦1.32 billion provision in the 2026 Appropriation Act despite not being established by law.