The House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee investigating the alleged operations of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council has resolved to interrogate the purported Director General of the organisation, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, at a confidential location while he remains in police custody.
The committee said the decision was aimed at protecting ongoing investigations being conducted by security and anti corruption agencies and ensuring compliance with an existing court order.
The panel is probing allegations surrounding the establishment and activities of the purported council, including claims of impersonation, forgery, financial misconduct and the unlawful use of government facilities, official insignia and Federal Government assets.
Chairman of the committee, Yusuf Gagdi, explained that lawmakers would not compel Adeyemi to appear at a public hearing because he is currently being held by the police under a valid court order.
He said the committee would instead meet with the suspect at an undisclosed date and location in the presence of his legal representatives and police officials, stressing that such an arrangement would not interfere with parallel investigations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and other security agencies.
The committee also summoned the Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Shehu Mohammed, to appear before it on Thursday to explain how official Federal Government number plates allegedly linked to vehicles used by the purported agency were obtained.
At the hearing, the Managing Director of Divine Dopacy Nigeria Limited, Gbenga Collins, alleged that he paid N400 million to Adeyemi after being promised a contract to renovate and furnish what was presented as the official residence of the agency’s Director General.
Collins told lawmakers that he believed he was dealing with a legitimate government institution because Adeyemi operated from an office within the Federal Secretariat in Abuja, used official vehicles bearing government registration plates and was accompanied by security personnel.
He said he first met Adeyemi during a programme in Ogbomoso in December 2024 before being invited to Abuja to discuss what was described as a business opportunity.
According to him, Adeyemi later introduced himself as the Director General of both the Presidential Economic Advisory Council and the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council before offering his company a renovation contract.
The businessman said he was shown the property earmarked for the project and was subsequently issued what appeared to be a contract award letter, project scope and agreement documents.
Collins alleged that Adeyemi requested N400 million as proof of his company’s financial capacity and to facilitate mobilisation for the contract.
He told the committee that he sourced the funds from business associates and transferred N380 million in four instalments into the account of World Entrepreneurs Limited between May and June 2025, while the remaining N20 million was later paid into the account of Sunshine Confectionery and Catering Services.
According to the witness, repeated assurances that mobilisation for the project would begin never materialised despite several follow up efforts.
He said he eventually became suspicious and consulted a lawyer, who advised him that he had likely been defrauded.
Collins disclosed that a petition was subsequently submitted to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in November 2025, adding that investigators later informed him that Adeyemi repeatedly failed to honour invitations from the commission, allegedly citing health reasons through his legal representatives.
Appealing to lawmakers, the businessman said the incident had crippled his business and forced him to begin selling personal property to offset debts owed to associates who contributed money for the proposed project.
Responding to questions from the committee, Collins denied that the N400 million was a bribe, insisting that the payment was presented to him as a requirement for contract mobilisation rather than an inducement.
He, however, admitted that he did not comply with the formal procurement procedures required under the Public Procurement Act before accepting the contract.
Gagdi assured Nigerians that the committee remained committed to uncovering the truth behind the alleged fake agency and identifying all individuals connected with its operations before submitting its findings to the House of Representatives.