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Five senior government officials have been questioned by security agencies over their alleged roles in helping a suspected fraudster establish a fictitious presidential council and gain access to government facilities and processes.
The officials include two directors in the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation and the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, a Special Assistant in the Budget Office, an Assistant Director in the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, and a staff member seconded from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
They were among 22 suspects questioned during a police investigation into allegations of criminal conspiracy, forgery, impersonation, obtaining money under false pretences, theft of public funds and money laundering.
The investigation centred on Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, who allegedly paraded himself as the Director-General of a fictitious Presidential Economic Advisory Council/Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council.
According to the police investigation report dated July 24, 2026, Adeyemi allegedly used forged documents to secure government recognition, office space at the Federal Secretariat, an administrative code, recruitment approval for about 300 staff and other official privileges.
The investigation also found that the fictitious council was allocated about N1.3 billion in the 2026 Appropriation Act, while efforts were made to establish accounts for the organisation with the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Police said the suspect allegedly forged an appointment letter purportedly signed by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, as well as other documents presented as establishing the council.
Forensic examination reportedly established that the signatures on the disputed appointment documents did not match Gbajabiamila’s specimen signature.
A former Director of Information and Public Relations in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Segun Imohiosen, also reportedly denied signing a document used to establish the purported council.
The police alleged that officials in several government offices failed to conduct adequate due diligence before processing requests submitted by Adeyemi, allowing the fictitious organisation to obtain official privileges.
The investigation further revealed that Adeyemi allegedly received N400 million from a businessman, Oyekunle Gbenga Collins, after promising to facilitate a N2.8 billion renovation contract.
Police analysis of the suspect’s accounts reportedly showed that N380 million was paid in four tranches into an account belonging to his company, while another N20 million was deposited into a separate business account.
Investigators alleged that Adeyemi spent part of the money on two vehicles and transferred substantial amounts to personal accounts and family members.
The police said the findings contradicted Adeyemi’s claim that he converted the N400 million to foreign currency and handed it to Gbajabiamila through a deceased associate.
Investigators also found that the suspect obtained a N100 million loan from a microfinance bank and allegedly collected additional funds from members of the public under the guise of facilitating diplomatic passports, visas and other official documents.
The police said Adeyemi had previously been arrested in October 2025 and charged with criminal conspiracy and forgery.
A subsequent petition by Gbajabiamila in June 2026 led to further investigation by the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre.
The investigation involved requests for information from several government institutions, including the State House, the Office of the SGF, the Accountant-General's Office, the Budget Office, the Head of Service, the Ministry of Finance, the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Corporate Affairs Commission.
The police have recommended that the five government officials and other suspects face possible prosecution, subject to the advice of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
The Force has also forwarded an interim investigation report to the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, requesting that the existing charges against Adeyemi be amended to reflect the new findings.
Investigators are also seeking clarification from the National Assembly over how the fictitious organisation defended and secured an alleged N1.3 billion allocation in the 2026 budget.
The case has exposed serious weaknesses in due diligence within government institutions and raised questions about how forged documents could pass through multiple layers of official scrutiny.
The police investigation is continuing, while the final decision on prosecution is expected to follow legal review by the appropriate authorities.
