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| Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi and Femi Gbajabiamila |
Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), is set to defend Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, who is facing criminal charges filed by the Federal Government over alleged conspiracy, forgery, impersonation and the use of forged presidential documents.
Adeyemi recently attracted public attention after accusing the President's Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, of demanding hundreds of millions of naira in bribes to facilitate his alleged appointment as the head of a government agency.
The Presidency, however, dismissed the allegations, maintaining that Adeyemi was never appointed by President Bola Tinubu and that the agency he claimed to head does not exist.
According to sources familiar with the matter, Falana will represent Adeyemi in the criminal proceedings before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The Federal Government has filed an eight-count charge against Adeyemi, accusing him of conspiracy, forgery, impersonation and the use of forged presidential documents. Two other suspects, identified only as Femi and Anu, were also listed in the charge but remain at large.
According to the charge sheet, Adeyemi, whose address was listed as the second floor of the Federal Secretariat Complex in Abuja, allegedly conspired with the two suspects to forge several official State House documents.
The prosecution alleged that the defendants forged a presidential appointment letter purportedly issued by President Tinubu and signed by Gbajabiamila. They were also accused of forging presidential letterheads and other State House documents relating to office allocation, inter-agency collaboration and approvals connected to the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council.
The government further alleged that between 2024 and 2025, Adeyemi falsely presented himself as the Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council.
Despite the charges, Adeyemi has consistently maintained that the council exists and that he is its legitimate Director-General. The Federal Government, however, insists the agency is fictitious and has no legal existence.
The criminal charges followed Adeyemi's allegations that Gbajabiamila demanded ₦400 million, with an additional ₦200 million, to facilitate his appointment. He also alleged that the Chief of Staff sought 48 per cent of the agency's proposed ₦27.4 billion take-off grant.
Adeyemi challenged the Presidency to establish an independent panel to investigate the allegations and subject documents purportedly signed by Gbajabiamila to forensic examination.
Responding to the claims, the Presidency said investigations conducted by the Office of the Chief of Staff, the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Nigeria Police Force established that Adeyemi was never appointed by President Tinubu or any government authority.
According to the Presidency, investigators concluded that Adeyemi forged official documents and falsely presented himself as the head of the non-existent Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council.
Police said the case originated from a petition submitted by the Office of the Chief of Staff after forged appointment letters purportedly issued from the office were discovered.
Investigators alleged that forged documents bearing fake signatures, official seals and reference numbers were used to create the impression that Adeyemi headed a Federal Government agency.
Police further disclosed that Adeyemi was arrested on October 27, 2025, at an office where he allegedly operated as Director-General of the purported council. Searches conducted at the office and his residence in APC Quarters, Suleja, Niger State, reportedly led to the recovery of documents and other exhibits linked to the investigation.
According to investigators, Adeyemi told police that one Dolapo Babatunde Tanimola procured the alleged appointment letter for him. However, they said subsequent inquiries revealed that Tanimola had died in a hotel fire in Abuja, a claim they said was confirmed by his family, hospital officials and church records.
Police also disclosed that intelligence obtained from the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit indicated that Adeyemi operated 34 active bank accounts across various commercial banks. Investigators further alleged that he opened an account with the Central Bank of Nigeria in the name of the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council.
The police said their investigation established a prima facie case against Adeyemi, alleging that he deliberately forged presidential documents and falsely presented himself as a Federal Government appointee.