The Accountant-General of the Federation, Shamseldeen Ogunjimi, told the House of Representatives ad hoc committee investigating the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) that Adeniyi Adeyemi allegedly intercepted an official letter that would have exposed the council as fraudulent.

Speaking during the committee’s hearing on Monday, Ogunjimi explained that the Office of the Accountant-General first received a request in November 2024, purportedly from the State House, asking for an administrative code to enable the PFIPC carry out budgeting, accounting and financial reporting.

Believing the request to be genuine because it was written on State House letterhead, the office approved the request and issued an administrative code. A response letter dated November 29, 2024, was sent to the State House, with a copy to the Budget Office.

However, Ogunjimi said the response never reached the State House because Adeyemi allegedly hijacked the letter. He explained that if the State House had received it, officials would have immediately realised they never initiated the original request, thereby exposing the alleged forgery much earlier.

Letter submission

According to the Accountant-General, investigations later revealed that the documents submitted by the promoters of the PFIPC, including the purported Act establishing the council and appointment letters, were all allegedly forged.

He said treasury officials processed the request in good faith because it appeared to originate from the Presidency.

Ogunjimi also disclosed that two government officials who eventually worked with the PFIPC had originally been deployed to the Office of the Chief Economic Adviser to the President years earlier. The Treasury was unaware they had been absorbed into the alleged fake agency until the controversy emerged.

He further revealed that the PFIPC applied to open a Treasury Single Account (TSA) and two foreign currency domiciliary accounts with the Central Bank of Nigeria to receive foreign investment inflows and prepare for an international investment summit.

While the domiciliary accounts were approved for inflows only, the TSA request was rejected. Ogunjimi added that none of the accounts became operational because the council failed to meet the required conditions.

Meanwhile, the House committee has directed the Inspector-General of Police to produce Adeniyi Adeyemi before it on Wednesday for questioning as investigations into the alleged fake agency and the ₦1.3 billion appropriated to continue.