THE Presidency has dismissed claims linking it to a non-existent Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council and a purported Presidential Economic Advisory Council allegedly being operated by one Adeyemi Adeniyi Matthew, who has been accused of parading himself as the director-general of the fake entities.
The development follows the emergence of investigations by security agencies into allegations of forged presidential appointment letters and the operation of a fraudulent structure allegedly used to impersonate a government agency.
The Office of the Chief of Staff to the President, Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President (Information and Strategy), first raised alarm over the activities after receiving complaints from officials of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Council that a parallel and unauthorised body appeared to be functioning in conflict with an existing agency.
On October 17, the Chief of Staff formally alerted the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Police, requesting a full investigation into what he described as a network of fraudsters and impostors allegedly forging appointment letters purportedly issued from his office.
He explained that attention had been drawn to individuals and groups producing fake official documents bearing falsified signatures, reference numbers and seals, which were being used to claim leadership positions in non-existent government bodies, particularly the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council.
According to the alert, the group allegedly led by Adeyemi was said to operate from an office within the Federal Secretariat Complex Phase III, Second Floor, where it held meetings with both Nigerian and foreign participants while presenting itself as a legitimate government agency. It was also accused of attempting to secure a note verbale from the United States Ministry of Foreign Affairs to facilitate visa issuance for its members.
The Chief of Staff described the situation as a serious breach that undermines the integrity of the Presidency and official government communication, urging security agencies to identify those involved, apprehend them, and dismantle the network behind the alleged forgery.
The petition was accompanied by documentary evidence, including copies of the alleged forged appointment letter, a request for a note verbale, and screenshots of activities reportedly taken from the group’s online platforms.
Around the same period, the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs raised concerns over the activities of the same group, prompting further inter-agency communication.
In a letter dated October 15, 2025, and signed by Ambassador Anderson Madubuike, the ministry sought clarification from the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Chief of Staff following a meeting allegedly held by Adeyemi with ambassadors at the Wells Carlton Hotel and Apartments in Asokoro without official clearance.
The ministry noted that the development violated established diplomatic procedures and regulations governing official engagements.
On October 20, the Office of the National Security Adviser escalated the matter to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation for further action.
By October 29, the OSGF formally contacted the Chief of Staff requesting clarification, citing multiple enquiries from government and non-governmental bodies seeking to verify the legitimacy of the purported appointment.
Two days earlier, the Chief of Staff had already responded to the Foreign Affairs Ministry, denying any issuance of appointment letters to Adeyemi and clarifying that his office had no connection to the alleged council.
He further stressed that the issuance of such appointments does not fall within the mandate of his office, but rather the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
On November 5, 2025, he again reaffirmed this position in a response to the OSGF, stating that Adeyemi and the alleged organisation were unknown to any official government structure and that security agencies had been directed to investigate the matter.
Following the Chief of Staff’s petition, police commenced investigation and subsequently arrested Adeyemi in Abuja on October 27 at the Secretariat office where he was allegedly operating the scheme.
A search of his residence in Suleja reportedly led to the recovery of documents and other materials considered relevant to the investigation.
During interrogation, Adeyemi reportedly told investigators that one Dolapo Babatunde Tanimola assisted him in obtaining the fake appointment letter. However, police later discovered that Tanimola had died in a fire incident at Kachi Hotel in Abuja on October 22, five days before Adeyemi’s arrest.
Investigators further established that the alleged agency was entirely fictitious, that Adeyemi forged appointment documents, falsely presented himself as a government appointee, and attempted to obtain a note verbale from the Foreign Affairs Ministry for visa facilitation purposes.
The police also uncovered 34 bank accounts linked to him, including nine opened in the names of fictitious entities such as the FCT Investment Promotion Agency, Public Private Partnership (FIPA-APP), and the FCT Investment Promotion Act.
He was further found to have fraudulently opened a CBN account using forged documents and by deceiving the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, although no government funds were transferred into the account.
A police investigation report led by Assistant Commissioner Kabir Mogaji concluded that the actions amounted to criminal forgery, impersonation and obtaining by false pretence, and brought the Presidency and the Office of the Chief of Staff into disrepute.
Based on the findings, police filed an eight-count charge against Adeyemi and two accomplices at the Federal High Court in Abuja on November 27, 2025. The case is scheduled for hearing on July 27.
While on bail, Adeyemi reportedly claimed that he had been appointed by the Chief of Staff as director-general of the fictitious council, contradicting his earlier statement to investigators.
In response, the Chief of Staff issued a fresh disclaimer on June 8, reiterating that no such appointment was ever made and reaffirming that Adeyemi remains an impostor.
Authorities say the case reflects a sustained pattern of deception and prior instances of false representation, including a 2016 episode in which he allegedly posed as an ambassador and President-General of a non-existent World Youth Organisation purportedly linked to the United Nations, a claim later denied by the UN.
The Presidency urged the public and political actors to await the outcome of ongoing court proceedings, noting that the matter remains sub judice.