The House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating the controversial Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) has indicated that it is nearing the end of its inquiry and may conclude proceedings without taking testimony from two key figures linked to the matter—Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, and the self-acclaimed Director-General of the council, Prince Adeyemi Adeniyi.
The committee disclosed that it would instead rely on documentary evidence, testimonies already obtained, and reports from security agencies before presenting its preliminary findings next week.
Chairman of the committee, Rep. Yusuf Adamu Gagdi, made the disclosure on Wednesday after the Nigeria Police Force explained why Adeyemi could not be produced before lawmakers despite an earlier directive.
Representing the Inspector-General of Police, Deputy Commissioner of Police Olufemi Akinola informed the committee that Adeyemi remains in police custody under a valid court remand order. According to him, while the police recognise the oversight responsibilities of the National Assembly and remain willing to cooperate, they cannot release a suspect currently being held under judicial authority.
Gagdi clarified that the police did not disregard the committee’s request, stressing that the lawmakers would respect the principle of separation of powers and avoid interfering with ongoing judicial proceedings.
The lawmaker further disclosed that the committee had uncovered evidence suggesting a coordinated attempt to legitimise the council, which several government agencies have maintained lacks legal backing or presidential approval.
According to him, investigations revealed at least 19 documents allegedly forged in the names of senior State House officials. He added that some of the documents were purportedly issued from departments that do not exist within the State House structure.
The committee also scrutinised officials of the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation over the issuance of an administrative code to the council. Lawmakers questioned why correspondence allegedly originating from a non-existent office was processed without adequate verification.
During the hearing, officials confirmed that Prince Adeyemi personally collected correspondence intended for the State House, a development that lawmakers argued could have allowed the alleged fraud to continue undetected.
The PFIPC investigation began after lawmakers discovered that the council had been assigned a budget code in the 2026 Appropriation Act despite questions surrounding its legitimacy.
Officials from the State House, the Budget Office, the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and several other agencies have since distanced themselves from the organisation and disowned documents linked to it.
Gagdi said the committee would spend the coming days consulting security agencies before submitting its findings and recommendations to the House of Representatives for further action.
