Forgery Case: Adeyemi May Miss Court Arraignment Over Alleged Threat to Life
ABUJA, Nigeria – Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, the embattled promoter of the alleged fictitious Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), may not appear before the Federal High Court in Abuja for his scheduled arraignment over forgery and related criminal charges after claiming his life is under threat.
Adeyemi is facing an eight-count charge filed by the Nigeria Police Force bordering on alleged forgery, criminal conspiracy, impersonation and obtaining by false pretence. The charges stem from investigations into the operations of the purported PFIPC, an organisation authorities insist is not recognised by the Federal Government.
Speaking during a television interview, Adeyemi said he was unwilling to appear in court because of what he described as credible threats to his safety. He maintained that he was not evading justice but feared for his life, alleging that there had been several attempts to harm him since the controversy surrounding the organisation became public.
He called on President Bola Tinubu to establish an independent investigative panel, including international members, to examine both the alleged forgery case and his claims of assassination threats. According to him, such a panel would inspire greater public confidence than existing investigations.
The PFIPC controversy has attracted widespread national attention after investigators alleged that the organisation operated with forged government documents, secured office space within the Federal Secretariat in Abuja and was listed in the 2026 Appropriation Act with a budgetary allocation of about ₦1.3 billion before the alleged scheme was uncovered. Authorities, however, insist that no public funds were released to the organisation.
The Presidency has consistently distanced itself from the alleged agency, describing it as fictitious and maintaining that Adeyemi falsely presented himself as its Director-General. It has also pledged to identify and prosecute anyone within government institutions found to have collaborated in the alleged scheme.
The Federal High Court is expected to determine the next step in the case if Adeyemi fails to appear for arraignment, as the high-profile forgery case continues to generate significant public and political interest.
