The Federal High Court in Abuja has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, the Director General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), over allegations of forgery, fraud, and impersonation.
Justice Mohammed Umar made the order on Tuesday after Adeyemi failed to appear before the court for the commencement of proceedings in the criminal case filed against him.
The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/562/2025, involves an eight-count charge brought by the Nigeria Police, accusing Adeyemi and two other defendants of offences including forgery, fraud and impersonation.
When the matter was called, the defendant was absent despite the case being listed for hearing.
Following his absence, the prosecution, led by counsel representing the Inspector General of Police (IGP), applied for a bench warrant to compel Adeyemi’s appearance before the court.
Justice Umar granted the application, authorising law enforcement authorities to arrest the PFIPC chief and produce him before the court to answer the charges.
The criminal charges were filed on November 27, 2025, by police prosecutor Wisdom Madaki, who is leading the prosecution on behalf of the Inspector General of Police.
The trial is expected to feature several high-profile witnesses, including the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, as well as Paul Emmanuel, Jeremiah Imoukhede, and Ituah Sylvester.
Also listed as prosecution witnesses are two officials from the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF)—Akimbo Shola and Adamu Balongu—as well as a Deputy Superintendent of Police, who is also expected to testify during the proceedings.
The issuance of the arrest warrant marks a significant development in the case, as the court seeks to ensure Adeyemi’s appearance to respond to the allegations against him.
At this stage, the court has not made any findings regarding the substance of the charges. The bench warrant was issued solely because the defendant failed to appear in court when the matter was called.
Under Nigerian law, Adeyemi remains presumed innocent unless and until the allegations against him are proven beyond reasonable doubt during the course of the trial.
