Atiku Condemns Arrest of PFIPC Suspect's Father as Abuse of Power, Demands His Release

The escalating PFIPC scandal took a dramatic and troubling turn on Monday when police operatives stormed the family residence of Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, and arrested his elderly father, along with a family friend who was visiting, while searching for the younger Adeyemi in connection with the ongoing forgery investigation.

Human rights activist and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana (SAN), who confirmed the arrest, revealed that the operation left Adeyemi's aged mother in a state of shock.

Residents of the area confirmed that several police vehicles arrived at the residence before officers took the elderly man away. Witnesses said the operation caused panic in the neighbourhood.

Reacting swiftly to the development, Atiku's Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, posted a statement on X (formerly Twitter) in which he described the arrest as unlawful and an act that has no place in a democratic society.

Ibe said: "Arresting the father of Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, the man at the centre of the GbajaGate scandal, is absolute nonsense and stands condemned. There is no provision in our laws for substituted arrest — an arrest of a family member, friend, or associate of a suspect with no connection whatsoever to the alleged crime. What has the father of the man the Presidency claims to be a 'phantom' DG got to do with it? It is an overreach, an abuse of power."

Ibe called for the immediate and unconditional release of Adeyemi's father, urging security agencies to respect citizens' constitutional rights while carrying out their investigative duties.

The arrest also attracted criticism from senior human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN), who equally faulted the police action, insisting that substituted arrest is unknown to Nigerian law. Falana argued that every criminal investigation must be directed at the individual accused of wrongdoing and not members of the person's family or associates. He urged the police to immediately release the elderly man and ensure that investigations are conducted within the confines of the law.

Falana stressed that Adeyemi had already pledged to appear before the court, questioning the rationale for taking his father into custody.

The PFIPC controversy has dominated public discourse in recent days after the Presidency distanced itself from the organisation, declaring that no agency known as the Presidential Fiscal and Infrastructure Projects Council exists within the Federal Government.

On July 1, allegations surfaced on social media following claims by the Director-General of the PFIPC, Adeyemi, that he paid ₦400 million to the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, to secure his appointment.

In response, the Presidency, through its spokesperson, dismissed the claims, describing Adeyemi as a "criminal impostor" and stating that the purported agency does not exist under the Presidency.

Gbajabiamila subsequently threatened a ₦10 billion lawsuit against Adeyemi, while his father has been arrested and kept in custody by the police.

Despite the Presidency's denial, the controversy intensified because the PFIPC was listed in the 2026 Appropriation Act with a budget allocation of approximately ₦1.3 billion, raising questions about how an agency the Presidency insists does not legally exist appeared in the federal budget.

The case is currently before the Federal High Court in Abuja, where Adeyemi faces charges related to forgery, impersonation, and other alleged offences.

In separate comments that further widened the political dimensions of the scandal, Atiku accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of either being complicit in, or unaware of, the widespread irregularities surrounding the PFIPC scandal and questionable provisions in the 2026 Appropriation Act. He said efforts by the Presidency to shield Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila from allegations linked to the controversy had instead deepened public suspicion.

Atiku referenced allegations made by Adeyemi, who reportedly claimed that Gbajabiamila demanded billions of naira, including an alleged upfront payment of ₦400 million and nearly half of the PFIPC's proposed ₦27.4 billion take-off grant amounting to ₦12.5 billion, to facilitate his appointment as Director-General.

Questioning the Federal Government's handling of the matter, Atiku asked why Adeyemi had not been arraigned if he was indeed a fraudster, why the organisation was reportedly still operating from the Federal Secretariat, and how he was allegedly able to visit the leadership of the EFCC while supposedly under investigation.

He concluded by demanding "a full, transparent, and independent investigation" into the allegations, insisting that Nigerians deserve answers over the PFIPC controversy and the disputed budget provisions.

As of the time of this report, the Nigeria Police Force had not issued an official statement justifying the arrest of Adeyemi's father.