July 9 (THEWILL) — The father of Adeniyi Adeyemi, who claims to be the Director-General of the controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), has alleged that security operatives stormed his Ogbomoso residence in search of his son.
THEWILLearlier reported that security operatives had, on Monday raided the Ogbomoso, Oyo State, residence of Prince Adeyemi Adeniyi, the man standing trial over alleged forgery, impersonation and related offences involving the purported Presidential Fiscal and Infrastructure Projects Council (PFIPC), arresting his father.
Speaking in an interview with BBC Yoruba on Wednesday, the elderly Adetunji Adeniyi recounted how security operatives allegedly scaled the fence into his compound, searched his home and later took him away for questioning after failing to locate his son.
“They jumped into my compound through the fence. They spoilt the barbed wire and started banging on the door. I asked who was at the door, and they identified themselves as government security personnel.
“They barged inside and started scattering everywhere, searching everywhere,” he said.
According to him, the operatives searched every part of the house but could not find Adeyemi, whom he said had already returned to Abuja after a recent visit to the family.
Adetunji said the officers never disclosed the specific offence his son allegedly committed, informing him only that the government was looking for him.
“They did not tell me what my son did. They just told me that the government was looking for him,” he said.
The elderly man said the operatives questioned him about his son’s workplace, but he could only explain that Adeyemi had told the family he worked for the Federal Government in Abuja.
“They asked me where my son works. I said I do not know, but he told me he works with the government in Abuja. I have never been to his office before,” he said.
He further disclosed that after the questioning, he was taken away by the operatives before being released later the same day.
Expressing disbelief over the allegations against his son, Adetunji described Adeyemi as a peaceful and well-behaved individual.
“My child is not a troublesome person who will do that type of thing that they are looking for him. My child is soft-hearted and well-behaved. I am not physically fit, and all the rumours I am hearing are making me unhappy. I am surprised by the allegations,” he said.
The incident has drawn criticism from human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, who is representing Adeyemi.
Speaking on Arise News on Tuesday, Falana argued that taking Adeyemi’s elderly father to a police station could not be justified under the Constitution, the Administration of Criminal Justice Act and the Nigeria Police Act.
He, however, disclosed that police authorities later informed him that the elderly man was not formally arrested but merely invited to assist investigators and was released after making a statement.
Despite the explanation, Falana maintained that investigators ought to have taken the statement at the man’s residence instead of conveying him to a police station.
Earlier reports indicated that security operatives stormed the Adeyemi family residence after failing to locate the suspect. A neighbour also alleged that officers copied contacts from the elderly man’s mobile phone before releasing him.
Adeyemi is facing an eight-count charge before the Federal High Court in Abuja bordering on alleged forgery, impersonation and operating a fictitious government agency.
The charges arise from his claim to be the Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), an organisation the Presidency has repeatedly stated does not exist.
The controversy deepened after Adeyemi reportedly claimed during a television interview that he paid ₦400 million to secure the purported appointment, an allegation the Presidency has strongly denied.
Following the claims, President Bola Tinubu directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the activities of the purported council, describing it as a fictitious body with no legal backing and ordering the anti-graft agency to submit its findings within 30 days.
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