Fresh details have emerged from an interim police investigation into the activities of an alleged fake government agency known as the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), following a petition from the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President.
The investigation, launched by the Nigeria Police Force, centres on allegations of forgery, impersonation and the issuance of fraudulent appointment letters purportedly originating from the Office of the Chief of Staff.
According to findings contained in the interim report, investigators uncovered what they described as a coordinated scheme designed to create the impression that the PFIPC was a legitimate federal government institution.
The report stated that forged documents bearing government insignia, official seals, reference numbers and signatures were allegedly used to support the operations of the organisation.
The probe reportedly began after the Office of the Chief of Staff petitioned the Inspector-General of Police on October 17, 2025, drawing attention to suspicious appointment letters allegedly issued in the name of the office.
Investigators traced the activities of the organisation to Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Mathew, who allegedly presented himself as the Director-General of the PFIPC. Police said the suspect operated from an office located within the Federal Secretariat Complex, Phase III, Abuja, where he allegedly conducted official engagements and interacted with both Nigerians and foreign nationals.
The report stated that the suspect allegedly carried out several activities under the guise of heading a federal government agency. Among them was correspondence sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs requesting diplomatic support for visa applications involving individuals said to be staff members of the council.
Police operatives arrested the suspect on October 27, 2025, at the Abuja office linked to the organisation.
Following the arrest, search warrants were executed at both the office premises and the suspect’s residence in Suleja, Niger State. During the operation, investigators reportedly recovered appointment letters, official letterheads, communications addressed to government agencies and other documents considered relevant to the case.
During interrogation, the suspect allegedly claimed that one Dolapo Babatunde Tanimola played a role in helping him secure the appointment letter that named him Director-General of the council.
However, investigators later discovered that Tanimola had died in a fire incident at a hotel in Abuja before the suspect’s arrest. The report noted that police verified the death through interviews with family members and other individuals, while records obtained from relevant institutions also reportedly confirmed the incident.
As part of the investigation, police sought clarification from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation regarding the authenticity of the appointment documents being circulated.
Officials from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation were also invited for questioning. Three government workers who had reportedly been posted to the PFIPC office told investigators that they did not perform any official responsibilities throughout their time there despite receiving posting instructions.
Financial records reviewed during the investigation reportedly uncovered extensive banking activities linked to the suspect. With support from the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, investigators traced 34 active bank accounts allegedly connected to him across several commercial banks.
The report alleged that nine of the accounts were opened in the names of entities presented as government institutions. Investigators also claimed that an account was opened with the Central Bank of Nigeria under the name of the PFIPC through the Office of the Accountant-General.
Police concluded in the report that the PFIPC does not exist within any recognised legal or administrative framework of the Federal Government.
Investigators alleged that forged documents were used to portray the organisation as an official government agency, enabling it to engage with ministries, departments and agencies while presenting its leadership as federal appointees.
The report stated that the actions uncovered during the investigation could amount to several criminal offences, including forgery, impersonation and obtaining by false pretence.
Two additional suspects identified only as Femi and Anu were also mentioned in the report. Police said both individuals remain at large and are being sought in connection with the case.
Among the recommendations contained in the report are the freezing of all bank accounts linked to the principal suspect, the deactivation of accounts opened in the name of the PFIPC and the eventual transfer of the case to the Director of Public Prosecutions after the completion of forensic examinations and other investigative procedures.
The police noted that the investigation is still ongoing. According to the report, investigators are awaiting additional statements from representatives of the complainant as well as specimen signatures from the Office of the Chief of Staff for forensic analysis.
The outcome of those examinations is expected to determine the next phase of the case as authorities continue efforts to unravel the full scope of the alleged operation.
