• My life is in danger – ‘Fake’ PFIPC DG’ Adeyemi claims

The “Director-General” of the purported Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), Adeniyi Adeyemi, has been arrested by security operatives following a warrant issued by the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Adeyemi was picked up on Tuesday at his hideout in Osun State, shortly after Justice Mohammed Umar ordered his arrest over his failure to appear in court for his arraignment.

The Police PRO confirmed that he was arrested by a team of FID/IRT in Osun.

Details of the arrest remain sketchy as of press time, but sources said the suspect would be taken to the Police Headquarters in Abuja for further action.

The arrest followed a brief ruling by Justice Umar, who issued a bench warrant after Adeyemi failed to appear before the court despite several adjournments.

Earlier in the proceedings, Adeyemi’s counsel, Genesis Francis, told the court that he could not convince his client to attend the hearing, citing concerns raised by the defendant.

The lawyer informed the court that Adeyemi had expressed fears for his safety in an open letter to President Bola Tinubu, noting that the matter had generated significant public attention.

However, prosecuting counsel, Wisdom Madaki, argued that the case had suffered repeated delays due to the defendant’s absence.

Madaki urged the court to issue a warrant for Adeyemi’s arrest in line with Section 394 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.

Granting the request, Justice Umar held that the charges were filed on November 27, 2025, while proceedings commenced on December 4, 2025.

The judge noted that Adeyemi had appeared in court only once and had failed to attend subsequent proceedings.

He consequently ordered his arrest and adjourned the matter until September 30.

Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, the man accused of forging government appointment letters and parading himself as the PFIPC DG, had earlier expressed fears for his life saying he was  not in any way hiding from law enforcement agents.

While speaking on Channels TV on Monday night July 13, Adeyemi said

“I’m ready to show my face. I’m not hiding. I’m only fearing for my life because I have it on good authority that my life is in danger,” he said on the current affairs programme, alleging threats to his life. There have been several attempts on my life,” Adeyemi said.

Adeyemi also alleged that there had been multiple attempts on his life but did not disclose further details or identity of those allegedly behind the attacks.

“And I’m ready for that. There are several attempts to… my life,” he added.

Adeyemi’s remarks come as controversy continues to trail the purported PFIPC, which the Presidency has repeatedly described as a non-existent government agency.

Adeniyi Adeyemi, director-general (DG) of the “controversial” presidential foreign intervention promotion council (PFIPC), says those who lent him N100 million to secure the appointment have petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over repayment.

Adeyemi, who is facing allegations of forgery and impersonation over the existence of the PFIPC, spoke on Monday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today.

The presidency has said the council does not exist and that Adeyemi was never appointed by the office of the chief of staff to the president.

On July 7, President Bola Tinubu directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to conduct a “thorough investigation” into the PFIPC controversy.

Responding to questions about the source of the funds he used to operate and resources at his disposal, Adeyemi said the money was borrowed.

“Mr. Seun, I borrowed this money. In fact, those that I borrowed this N100 million have reported to EFCC,” he said.

“I borrowed this money to pay for this appointment. In fact, I can tell you, they have reported to the EFCC, asking me to refund their money. I borrowed this money.”

Adeyemi also dismissed allegations that he falsely claimed to have received an appointment from the United Nations (UN).

“It’s all sponsored. It’s a campaign of calumny. They should let us face the facts and documents. It is unfortunate that some actors in the government are taking up this matter. It’s unfortunate, and it’s embarrassing,” he said.

“Honestly, imagine the government claiming that one man, and called me a con artist, manoeuvred the whole system; it is unfortunate.”

Reacting to reports that a US-based lobbying firm is helping him seek asylum abroad, Adeyemi denied planning to leave Nigeria.

“I just ignored it because they sponsor a lot of people to bring my social media handle down,” he said.

“I don’t really know much about what is going on again. They said I was about to run away out of Nigeria. I’m still in Nigeria. I’m not going anywhere.”

Source: TheCable

By Charles Ogbu

Many Nigerians may have heard that five Enugu-based Engineers (all Igbo) who had issues with Dave Umahi when he was the governor of Ebonyi state went to work in Ebonyi sometime in 2021 and never returned home till date but only a few know the full gist. Come with me as we dive into the detail of what has come to be known as the ‘NELAN FIVE’

Sometime in 2021, when the current Nigeria’s minister of works, Senator Engineer David Nweze Umahi, CON was the governor of Ebonyi state, it happened that the Umahi led govt felt the need to construct the Abakaliki Ring Road with loan from the African Development Bank (AFDB) and as is the case with many project funded by the AfDB, part of the condition for the loan was that AN INDEPENDENT CONSULTING FIRM would be employed to supervise the project to ensure the construction followed the terms upon which the loan was agreed

NELAN CONSULTING LIMITED, an Enugu-based consulting engineering firm specializing in project supervision, consultancy, and oversight for infrastructure projects, was hired through INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIVE BIDDING to monitor and supervise the main contractors, ensure compliance with contract terms, AfDB standards, and quality

The firm detailed 5 of their best engineers on the project. They were;

Engr. Nelson Onyemeh — Lead consultant/CEO of NELAN Consultants, from Ihiala, Anambra State.
• Engr. Ernest Edeani — From Nkanu, Enugu State.
• Engr. Ikechukwu Ejiofor — From Umunya, Anambra State.
• Engr. Samuel Aneke — From Nkanu, Enugu State.
• Engr. Stanley Nwazulum — From Amawbia, Anambra State.

In the course of their job, there was serious tensions between NELAN and the Umahi administration over project control and payments. According to the families of the 5 engineers, the Umahi government allegedly wanted NELAN to “take a back seat” so the state could exercise direct control, issue payment certificates, and give instructions to contractors. The then governor Umahi reportedly wanted NELAN to sign/approve certificates of satisfactory completion for work supervised or executed by other engineers/contractors — something NELAN refused, arguing it violated AfDB contract terms, their professional obligations, and risked the firm (and possibly the project) being blacklisted by the AfDB.

This disagreement created bad blood between the Umahi govt and the NELAN Engineers.

On November 3, 2021, the 5 engineers left Enugu for Ebonyi state in an official Toyota Hilux with registration ERR 001 EB for site supervision but never came back till this very moment neither were their remains found till date.

The Umahi-led Government issued a statement describing the incident as an unfortunate abduction by unknown gunmen linked to the Effium/Ezza-Effium communal crisis going on in a part of the state then adding that upon receiving news of the disappearance, the state govt mobilized security agencies for a search and rescue operation.

But in late November 2021, reportedly during a State Executive Council/Security Council meeting, Umahi publicly announced that the five engineers had been killed and buried in the bush by “Ezza warriors”, based on alleged confessions from arrested suspects. It should be noted that the then governor Umahi made this statement WHILE police and DSS investigations were still ongoing.

The families of the missing engineers described the statement as premature and shocking and insisted that the disappearance of the engineers was targeted and not a result of some random communal violence as alleged by the govt. They cite the “control of certifications and payments” dispute between the engineers and Umahi as being connected to the disappearance.

On their part, the Police and DSS launched investigations which led to the arrest of at least six suspects who were charged with kidnapping (and in some references, murder) in Charge No. HKW/7C/2022 at the Ebonyi State High Court in Ezzamgbo before Justice John Igboji.

Skeletal remains the security agencies believed to be those of the engineers were presented to the families but an INDEPENDENT DNA tests funded by the families to verify the same skeletal remains came back negative for the engineers; one set reportedly belonged to a female even when all five victims were men. This again, fueled the families’ suspicions that the disappearance of the engineers was masterminded by some person(s) and that even those claiming to be investigating may be trying to cover up the real truth.

To add to the families’ suspicion, a notorious kidnapper known as “Small” with a phone number – 08088985480 – allegedly first contacted the families shortly after the disappearance, claiming one engineer was in an accident and demanding ₦50,000 for treatment. Families paid in an attempt to trace him only for “Small” to end up reported killed (some account said by Anambra vigilantes in 2025 while some said he was killed earlier by his own people).Determined to find out the truth, the families hired private trackers to do a Phone tracking/triangulation on “Small” phone numbers (the result of which was reportedly reviewed by some investigators) and the result allegedly showed “Small” communicating repeatedly with individuals linked to the road project, including one Barrister Chioma Nweze who was then a close adviser to Umahi and involved in the Ring Road project (now Senior Special Assistant to President Tinubu on Community Engagement, South-East) and Felix Otta (project coordinator). Families believe that these links suggest the disappearance of the engineers was carefully planned and executed by powerful highly placed persons, and not some random community violence. Chioma Nweze strongly denied communicating with any attackers. 

The families equally alleged that a Key DSS investigator (Victor Chijioke Onyesom) was allegedly removed/sacked at a critical stage of the investigation without proper process or replacement. They queried why the security agents rushed to file charges without producing bodies or concluding investigations. On November 29, 2021, at a project progress review meeting, one Engr. S. Sowomi allegedly represented NELAN while the five-man management team was missing. This, the families deemed outrageous.

Since November, 2021 till date, the five wives of the five engineers — Patricia Onyemeh, Lovette Edeani, Ifeoma Ejiofor, Esther Aneke, and Mrs. Nwazulum — have been vocal and consistent in demanding answers from Dave Umahi and the relevant authorities. They insist the engineers traveled for a legitimate official assignment/meeting connected to the project and were targeted because of NELAN’s resistance to Umahi’s alleged attempts to bypass proper supervision and control payments/certificates against AfDB rules.
They reject the “general communal clash” narrative as a cover-up, calling it “outrageous, misconceived, misrepresented, and flawed.” while maintaining there is a coordinated cover-up, including impersonation at meetings, interference in investigations, rushed prosecutions to shield real culprits, and threats (including from an undisclosed “ghost client” after petitioning authorities).

They have been consistent in asking: IF THE KILLERS WERE ARRESTED AND CONFESSED, WHERE THEN ARE THE BODIES? Why charge the suspects for murder without bodies?

They have submitted petitions to President Tinubu, Senate President Akpabio, Speaker Abbas, NHRC, relevant security agencies, and state governments (Anambra, Enugu).

On March 16, 2026, they protested at the Federal Ministry of Works in Abuja (moved from National Assembly grounds), demanding justice, bodies, and accountability from Umahi. Two months after on May 2026, they issued a strong public rejoinder accusing Umahi of cover-up and demanding fresh probe. July 2026, through their lead counsel (including Femi Falana SAN in some actions), they obtained the Certified True Copy (CTC) of court proceedings in Charge HKW/7C/2022 and petitioned the National Judicial Council (NJC), Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and others for independent review, citing irregularities. 

On the Court Proceedings and Current status of the case;
In Charge No. HKW/7C/2022:
Six defendants were arraigned for kidnapping while applications to strike out names were filed early on.
In May 2025, the court noted that three applicants “enjoying the amnesty of the Ebonyi State Government” were admitted to bail on self-recognisance.
The case has seen repeated absences of defendants and counsel. On one occasion, the judge openly expressed frustration, noting the prosecution had informed the court about amnesty and that defendants would “do the needful,” only for them to stay away. The judge then ordered a senior state counsel to appear and explain.

In summary, the case remains stalled for now while the families continue to demand for a fresh INDEPENDENT FEDERAL LEVEL INVESTIGATION.