The Nigerian Presidency has exposed a man, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, as a “con artist” who successfully created a fictitious body named the “Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council cum Presidential Economic Advisory Council, forged official appointment letters and solicited diplomatic favours.
The multi-million-naira scandal has sparked fresh legal and public scrutiny after the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, released a breakdown of the criminal case, police reports, and ongoing federal prosecution.
How the presidency blew the whistle Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew
The controversy unfolded after the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) petitioned the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, complaining about an unverified body that was operating at cross-purposes with it.
Gbajabiamila formally petitioned the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police Force to investigate individuals forging official letters bearing his falsified signature, reference numbers, and official seals.
Operating from a physical office on the second floor of the Federal Secretariat Complex (Phase III) in Abuja, Matthew allegedly paraded himself as a legitimate Director-General.
According to state reports, his group hosted high-level meetings with both Nigerian citizens and foreign nationals, and even solicited an official note verbale from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to facilitate United States visas for its purported staff.
Police uncover 34 bank accounts and a central bank link
Following his arrest, a coordinated raid on Matthew’s office in Abuja and his residence in Suleja yielded a vast cache of forged documents.
Investigators established that the suspect managed 34 distinct bank accounts. Notably, nine of these accounts were registered under variations of non-existent agencies, including the “FCT Investment Promotion Agency” and the “Public Private Partnership (FIPA-APP).”
The police investigation further revealed that Matthew successfully misled the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation to open an account with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
However, security agencies confirmed that no public funds had been transferred into the account prior to his apprehension.
Legal battles and demands for an independent probe
The Nigeria Police Force filed an eight-count charge bordering on conspiracy, forgery, and obtaining by false pretence at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
While Matthew remains out on police bail ahead of his scheduled court appearance on July 27, the case has entered a complex political phase.
Renowned human rights lawyer Femi Falana has publicly intervened, arguing that the Presidency lacks the constitutional power to exonerate any internal actors administratively.
Falana has called for a completely independent investigation into the administrative loopholes that allowed a fictitious agency to secure physical space in the Federal Secretariat and access to apex banking infrastructure.
Meanwhile, the Presidency has cautioned public commentators and political figures to avoid statements that could interfere with the upcoming judicial proceedings.
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