Alleged N1.3bn Ghost Agency Scandal Deepens as Police Arrest Promoter’s Father
The controversy surrounding the alleged N1.3 billion allocation to the controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) has taken a fresh twist following the reported arrest of the father of the council’s promoter, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, by operatives of the Nigeria Police Force.
Global Mirror News gathered that the development has intensified public scrutiny of the alleged “ghost agency” scandal, with Senior Lawyers, Human Rights Advocates and Civil Society Irganisations questioning the legality of the arrest and urging the Police to clarify the circumstances.
Prince Adeyemi, who claims to be the Director-General of the PFIPC, is currently standing trial before the Federal High Court in Abuja on charges bordering on conspiracy, forgery and impersonation. The Federal Government has listed the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, alongside 10 other witnesses expected to testify in the ongoing trial.
Father Arrested in Ogbomoso
According to reports, Police Officers stormed the Adeyemi family residence located at Plot 3, Adeniyi Dynasty, behind the Technical College, Road Safety Area, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, on Monday July 7, 2026.
A family friend who visited the residence was also reportedly arrested during the operation.
Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), confirmed the arrest, describing it as unlawful if it was intended to compel the suspect to appear before investigators.
He argued that since Prince Adeyemi had already undertaken to appear in court, there was no legal justification for arresting his father.
Residents of the area alleged that Police operatives arrived in four vehicles before taking the elderly man to Agbomire Police Station. They added that Adeyemi’s aged mother was left traumatised by the incident and had to be moved elsewhere by neighbours.
NBA, SANs Condemn Alleged Substitute Arrest
The reported arrest sparked widespread reactions from legal experts, with the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mazi Afam Osigwe (SAN), cautioning that Nigerian law does not permit the arrest of family members merely to pressure a suspect into surrendering.
Osigwe, however, noted that the arrest would only be lawful if Adeyemi’s father was independently being investigated as a suspect or person of interest.
Several Senior Advocates of Nigeria echoed similar views.
Professor Sam Erugo (SAN) described the arrest of a suspect’s father for an offence allegedly committed by his son as unlawful under Nigerian law, citing Section 7 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015, which prohibits arrest by proxy.
Isiaka Olagunju (SAN) maintained that criminal liability is personal and cannot be transferred to relatives, except where evidence directly implicates them.
Wolemi Esan (SAN) also stressed that substitute arrest has no place in Nigeria’s legal system, noting that both the ACJA and the Nigeria Police Act expressly prohibit such practice.
Legal practitioner, Dr. Wahab Shittu (SAN), described any attempt to arrest a suspect’s relative solely to compel cooperation as unconstitutional.
According to him, Sections 35 and 36 of the 1999 Constitution, alongside relevant provisions of the ACJA, clearly establish that criminal responsibility is personal and requires reasonable suspicion based on an individual’s own conduct.
Shittu added that if the Police could establish independent evidence linking Adeyemi’s father to the alleged offences, the arrest would then be legally justified. Otherwise, victims of unlawful arrest are entitled to seek redress, including compensation and public apology.
Police Yet to Explain Arrest
The Nigeria Police Force has yet to officially explain the circumstances surrounding the arrest.
Force Headquarters spokesperson, Anietie Iniedu, said he had not been briefed on the operation and requested details of the unit responsible before commenting.
Similarly, Oyo State Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Olayinka Ayanlade, stated that the investigation was being handled by the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Abuja, and advised journalists to seek clarification from the Force Headquarters.
Accountant-General Denies Release of Funds
Amid growing controversy, the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation denied reports that public funds were released to the PFIPC.
Director of Press and Public Relations, Bawa Mokwa, explained that although an application was initiated to open a Government account for the Council, the process was never completed because the applicant failed to provide the required signatories.
According to him, without an operational government account, no public funds could have been disbursed to the council.
He also clarified that implementation of the 2026 Appropriation Act only commenced on July 1, by which time investigations into the alleged ghost agency had already begun.
Senate Rejects Blame
The Senate has also distanced itself from the controversy surrounding the N1.3 billion allocation.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Establishment and Public Service, Senator Cyril Fasuyi, said his committee had no oversight responsibility over the PFIPC and was unfamiliar with the agency.
Other lawmakers defended Senate President Godswill Akpabio, insisting the National Assembly neither created the council nor initiated its budget proposal.
According to them, budget proposals originate from the Executive arm of government, while lawmakers only consider figures presented during the appropriation process after due diligence by relevant government agencies.
The senators maintained that it would be unfair to hold the legislature responsible for the existence of an agency that had already been captured in the budget submitted by the Executive.
The Senate is expected to address the controversy when plenary resumes.
Human Rights Group Demands Immediate Release
The Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) condemned the reported arrest, describing it as a violation of the Constitution, the Administration of Criminal Justice Act and international human rights conventions.
In a statement jointly signed by its National President, Yinka Folarin, and National Secretary, Idris Afees, the organisation called on the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to order the immediate and unconditional release of Adeyemi’s father unless credible evidence directly links him to any criminal offence.
The group warned that arresting relatives of suspects amounts to collective punishment and undermines the rule of law.
According to the CDHR, law enforcement agencies must uphold professionalism, constitutional safeguards and respect for fundamental human rights while carrying out criminal investigations.
The organisation also warned that it would explore constitutional and international legal mechanisms if the alleged unlawful detention persists.
The controversy continues to generate national attention as investigations into the alleged PFIPC scandal and the circumstances surrounding its appearance in the 2026 federal budget remain ongoing.
