The Presidency has restated that Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew is an impostor who falsely presented himself as the Director-General of a non-existent Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, also referred to as the Presidential Economic Advisory Council, warning the public against lending credibility to his claims.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said investigations by security agencies established that Adeyemi forged appointment documents, impersonated a government official, and operated a fictitious agency while misleading both Nigerian and foreign officials.
According to the Presidency, concerns about the fake organisation first emerged after officials of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Council reported that another body was carrying out activities that conflicted with its statutory responsibilities.
The Office of the Chief of Staff to the President subsequently petitioned the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police Force on October 17, 2025, requesting an investigation into individuals allegedly forging presidential appointment letters and claiming leadership positions in non-existent government agencies.
The petition stated that Adeyemi had established an office at the Federal Secretariat Complex in Abuja, where he allegedly hosted meetings with Nigerian and foreign stakeholders while presenting himself as the head of a legitimate federal agency. He was also accused of requesting a note verbale from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to facilitate United States visa applications for members of the organisation.
The Presidency said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had earlier raised concerns after Adeyemi reportedly convened a meeting with ambassadors at the Wells Carlton Hotel in Abuja without the ministry’s knowledge or approval, describing the action as a violation of established diplomatic procedures.
Following requests for clarification from the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Chief of Staff repeatedly denied any knowledge of Adeyemi or the purported agency, stressing that no appointment letter had ever been issued to him and that such appointments fall within the responsibility of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
Police investigations later led to Adeyemi’s arrest on October 27, 2025, at the Abuja office from which he allegedly operated. Searches conducted at both his office and residence reportedly yielded forged appointment letters and other incriminating documents.
According to the Presidency, investigators established that the agency Adeyemi claimed to head never existed and that he had forged official documents to support his claims. The police also alleged that he falsely solicited diplomatic documentation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and operated 34 bank accounts, including several linked to fictitious agencies.
Investigators further alleged that Adeyemi fraudulently opened a Central Bank of Nigeria account using forged documents presented through the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation. However, the police confirmed that no government funds were transferred into the account.
Based on its findings, the Nigeria Police filed an eight-count charge against Adeyemi and two alleged accomplices at the Federal High Court in Abuja on November 27, 2025. The case is scheduled for hearing on July 27, 2026.
The Presidency noted that while on police bail, Adeyemi recently renewed claims that he had been appointed by the Chief of Staff as Director-General of the fictitious agency, a position it said contradicted his earlier statement to investigators. This prompted the Chief of Staff to issue another public disclaimer on June 8, 2026.
Onanuga also referenced an earlier incident in 2016 in which Adeyemi allegedly claimed to be an ambassador and President-General of a purported World Youth Organisation said to be affiliated with the United Nations, a claim that was later disowned by the UN.
The Presidency urged politicians and members of the public to refrain from drawing conclusions before the conclusion of the ongoing court proceedings, stressing that the matter is now before the court and should be allowed to run its legal course.
