PFIPC probe: Adeyemi held under valid order, IGP tells Reps

By Christiana Ekpa

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Disu, on Wednesday told the House of Representatives that the Nigeria Police Force could not produce Prince Adeyemi Adeniyi, the self-acclaimed Director-General of the alleged fake Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), because he is being held under a valid order of the Federal High Court.

The explanation was given during the resumed sitting of the House Ad-Hoc Committee investigating the activities of the controversial council, chaired by Hon. Yusuf Gagdi, representing Kanke/Kanam/Pankshin Federal Constituency of Plateau State.

The committee had, on Monday, directed the IGP to produce Adeniyi following testimonies from several government institutions that disowned the purported council and denied having any official relationship with it.

Representing the IGP, Deputy Commissioner of Police Olufemi Akinola, Deputy Director at the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre, appeared alongside Assistant Commissioner of Police Bashir Abdullahi and informed lawmakers that the police could not comply with the directive without a reproduction warrant from the court.

“The Nigeria Police Force may not be able to produce the suspect as requested because of the subsisting court order under which he is being held,” Akinola said.

He reaffirmed the police’s respect for the constitutional oversight powers of the National Assembly and expressed readiness to cooperate with the committee once the appropriate court order is obtained.

“We respectfully request that the committee obtain a reproduction warrant or other appropriate order from a court of competent jurisdiction to enable the police comply with the request,” he added.

Responding, Committee Chairman Yusuf Gagdi accepted the police’s explanation and assured that the panel would immediately seek the necessary court order.

He said the committee would notify the Office of the Inspector-General of Police once the legal process had been completed.

The House constituted the ad hoc committee to investigate the operations of the purported Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council following allegations that it functioned as a federal government agency without any legal backing.

At previous hearings, the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Budget Office of the Federation and other government agencies all distanced themselves from the council, insisting they neither recognized it nor had any official dealings with it.

The committee is expected to determine how the alleged fake council emerged, identify those behind its operations and recommend appropriate legislative and legal action.