Reps uncover 29 allegedly forged documents linked to embattled PFIPC

The House of Representatives ad hoc committee investigating the activities of the purported Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) says it has uncovered 29 allegedly forged official documents linked to the fake agency and its self-acclaimed Director-General, Adeniyi Adeyemi Mathew.

Chairman of the committee, Yusuf Gagdi, disclosed this during the appearance of the Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Shamseldeen Ogunjimi, before the panel. He said the forged documents were purportedly issued by 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 Gagdi, one of the documents allegedly bore the forged signature of the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila. He added that 13 civil servants from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation and the Office of the Head of the Civil Service had been summoned to appear before the committee to explain their roles.

The committee also directed the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, to produce Adeyemi before it, saying his testimony was needed to clarify issues arising from the documents under investigation.

“This committee clearly needs the suspected DG to appear before it. People’s names are involved. People’s integrity is involved. Institutional names are involved. Institutional integrity is involved. It is no longer optional. We need him here to confirm some documents before us in a manner that will not undermine our investigation so that we can conclude our assignment and submit our report on time,” Gagdi said.

Representing the Inspector-General of Police, Assistant Commissioner of Police Bashir Abdullahi confirmed that some of the documents issued in the name of the purported agency were fake. He said the police had already filed an eight-count charge against the suspect before the Federal High Court, adding that investigations were ongoing and that further disclosures could prejudice the case.

The police also confirmed receiving petitions alleging that Adeyemi falsely presented himself as Director-General of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council and the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council. According to the police, the suspect allegedly sought approval to recruit about 300 staff, attempted to insert about $1.3 billion into the 2026 Appropriation Bill for the non-existent agency and planned a World Investment Summit under the platform of the council.

Appearing before the committee, Ogunjimi said the Office of the Accountant-General acted in good faith on official-looking documents and followed established government procedures in all its dealings with the purported council. He maintained that no funds were released to the council under any budget head and that the Treasury only discovered the documents were forged after the controversy became public.