ICPC Seeks No-Fly Order Against Adeniyi Over Alleged ₦1.3bn PFIPC Fraud
ICPC seeks travel restrictions on Adeniyi Adeyemi over alleged PFIPC fraud
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to restrict the international movement of Adeniyi Adeyemi, who is linked to the alleged fictitious Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), pending the conclusion of its investigation and any resulting prosecution.
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The anti-corruption agency wants the court to direct the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to place Adeyemi on a watchlist and no-fly list and prevent him from leaving the country.
The application also seeks an order compelling him to surrender his international passports and other travel documents to the ICPC.
According to the commission's application, the requested restriction would initially remain in force for 90 days, subject to renewal or until the investigation and any subsequent prosecution are concluded.
ICPC Seeks 90-Day Travel Restriction
The application, filed as an ex parte motion marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1521/2026, asks the court to restrain Adeyemi from travelling outside the court's jurisdiction by any means while the investigation continues.
The ICPC also requested that the Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services and other relevant law-enforcement agencies enforce any order granted by the court.
The commission's application is based on allegations including impersonation of public officers, forgery and use of forged appointment letters and government documents, false representation, obtaining by false pretence, conspiracy and financial misconduct.
Investigation Centres on Alleged ₦1.3bn Government Allocation
The ICPC said information obtained during its investigation indicated that Adeyemi allegedly presented himself as the Director-General of PFIPC, an organisation the government says was never lawfully established.
Investigators also alleged that 34 bank accounts were associated with Adeyemi, including nine accounts opened in the names of purported agencies.
The investigation is also examining financial transactions involving substantial sums, including an approximately ₦1.3 billion budget line contained in the 2026 Appropriation Act.
The commission has maintained that the purported PFIPC lacked a legal foundation, executive approval or statutory basis.
Government Had Earlier Ordered PFIPC Investigation
The PFIPC controversy emerged after Adeyemi presented himself as the organisation's Director-General.
In July, President Bola Tinubu directed the ICPC to investigate the activities of the purported council, including alleged forged appointment letters, government documents, claims of presidential appointment and the opening of bank accounts using documents associated with purported government agencies.
The ICPC subsequently submitted an interim report to the President. The commission said its preliminary findings indicated that Adeyemi had not been appointed by the Federal Government and that the purported PFIPC had not been created by law, executive order or another valid government instrument.
The commission also said documents presented to support the organisation's existence, including an alleged appointment letter and gazette, were forged.
Court Proceedings Remain Ongoing
The travel-restriction application comes against the backdrop of separate criminal proceedings involving Adeyemi.
A Federal High Court had previously issued a bench warrant after he failed to appear for arraignment on an eight-count charge relating to alleged forgery, impersonation and other offences. The court subsequently directed security agencies to produce him for arraignment.
Adeyemi has also pursued a fundamental-rights case concerning his detention. In September, the Federal High Court ordered authorities to allow him access to lawyers of his choice while in custody, although other reliefs sought in the suit were not granted at that stage.
The ICPC's latest application is separate from the existing criminal proceedings, with the commission describing its investigation as broader and independent of the related charge.
Public Finance and Institutional Controls in Focus
Beyond the immediate legal proceedings, the case raises questions about the controls surrounding the creation and recognition of government-linked entities, access to public facilities and the inclusion of expenditure in the federal budget.
The reported investigation involves allegations that a purported government body operated despite the government's position that it had no legal foundation. The reported ₦1.3 billion budget allocation also puts scrutiny on the processes through which government agencies and programmes are incorporated into public expenditure.
For the housing and real-estate sector, stronger institutional controls matter because public-sector programmes, land administration, housing schemes and infrastructure projects depend on clear mandates, verifiable institutions and transparent allocation of public resources.
Outlook
The immediate issue before the Federal High Court is whether to grant the ICPC's requested travel restrictions against Adeyemi. The court has adjourned the hearing of the ex parte application to November 10, 2026, after no ICPC legal representative appeared when the matter was called.
The broader PFIPC case remains subject to ongoing investigations and court proceedings. Allegations against Adeyemi have not been established as criminal liability unless and until determined through the judicial process.
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