ICPC Expands Charges Against Fake Agency Director Adeyemi
Four civil servants added as co-defendants in the multi-billion naira fraud case.
1Expanded Legal Indictment
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has significantly expanded its case against Adeniyi Adeyemi. The charges rose from 22 to 36 counts, now including four civil servants as co-defendants. These officials allegedly facilitated the operations of the non-existent Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council within the federal government budget.
2Involved Civil Servants
The new defendants include Aminu Abdullahi and Harry Ogaba from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. Florence Omameh from the Accountant-General’s office and Patricia Akhigbe from the Budget Ministry were also charged. They are accused of using their positions to accept gratification and facilitate the fake agency.
3Arraignment Halted by Absence
The scheduled arraignment proceedings were stalled because defendant Florence Omameh was absent due to health reasons. Prosecution lawyer Sylvanus Tahir noted that under the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, all defendants must be present for the plea. The court subsequently granted a short adjournment to ensure all parties could appear together.
4Allegations of Forgery
Adeyemi is accused of forging documents from the Chief of Staff to the President and the Minister of Finance. These documents were allegedly used to secure office space at the Federal Secretariat and obtain a domain name from NITDA. He purportedly obtained over 27 billion naira for agency startup and personnel costs.
5Gratification and Bribery
The prosecution alleges that Adeyemi paid 210,000 naira to Aminu Abdullahi to secure office space without authorization. Additionally, he allegedly paid 300,000 naira to Ogaba Harry to facilitate the release of two official SUVs. These transactions form a core part of the corruption charges brought against the civil servants and Adeyemi.
6Fraudulent Financial Claims
Beyond government funding, Adeyemi allegedly collected 20 million naira from a private firm under false pretenses. He claimed the money was a project facilitation loan for a 2.8 billion naira contract to renovate his residence. This incident highlights the scale of the deception used to extract funds from both public and private sources.
7History of Evasion
The legal process has faced numerous delays since the police first filed charges in November 2025. Adeyemi repeatedly failed to appear in court, leading to an arrest warrant being issued. He was eventually apprehended in Osun State and has been held at Kuje Correctional Centre since his initial arraignment in September.
8Venue and Jurisdiction
The case was transferred from the Federal High Court to the FCT High Court in Maitama, Abuja. The Director of Public Prosecution withdrew the initial charges in October to refile them in this venue. This move was deemed necessary to appropriately address the specific nature of the criminal charges involved in this case.
9Upcoming Court Schedule
Judge Halilu Yusuf has set 18 November as the new date for the arraignment of all five defendants. Adeyemi will remain in custody at Kuje Correctional Centre, while the other defendants are held at the ICPC detention facility. The court expects full compliance with the arraignment process on this upcoming date.
10Institutional Implications
This case exposes significant vulnerabilities within the Nigerian civil service regarding the verification of government agencies. The inclusion of high-ranking ministry officials suggests a systemic failure in internal controls. The trial will likely serve as a critical test for the ICPC in prosecuting complex, multi-layered corruption involving both private and public actors.
Original article: Premium Times Nigeria — ICPC Expands Charges Against Fake Agency Director Adeyemi