The Federal High Court in Abuja has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, the self-acclaimed Director-General of the alleged non-existent Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), after he failed to appear for his scheduled arraignment.

Justice Mohammed Umar granted the order on Tuesday following an oral application by police counsel, Wisdom Madaki, who informed the court that the defendant had repeatedly failed to honour court appearances.

Adeyemi is expected to face trial on an eight-count charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/562/2025, bordering on forgery, fraud and impersonation. Although the matter was listed for arraignment, the defendant was absent from court, despite his counsel, Genesis Francis, announcing his appearance.

Moving the application, the prosecution argued that the case had come up five times and that all previous adjournments had been at the instance of the defendant.

"My Lord, this is the fifth time this case is coming up, and all the adjournments have been at the instance of the defendant," Madaki told the court.

Relying on Section 394 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, the prosecution urged the court to issue a warrant for Adeyemi's arrest.

The application was opposed by the defence, which attributed the defendant's absence to alleged threats to his life.

Defence counsel, Genesis Francis, reminded the court that Adeyemi had appeared for his arraignment on May 16 before the matter was adjourned. He argued that the case had since attracted widespread public attention, exposing his client to security risks.

"The defendant is afraid for his life. He has to be alive to be able to face trial. They have been looking for him even without an order of court," Francis submitted.

In his ruling, Justice Umar held that the court was satisfied that the prosecution's application had merit.

The judge noted that although the charge was filed on November 27, 2025, proceedings commenced on December 4, 2025, and that the defendant had appeared in court only once since the case was instituted.

"Since then, he has failed to appear before this court on four consecutive dates," the judge said.

Justice Umar subsequently ordered security agencies to arrest Adeyemi and produce him before the court on September 30 for his arraignment.

Among those listed as prosecution witnesses are the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; Paul Emmanuel; Jeremiah Imoukhede; Ituah Sylvester; officials of the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF), Akimbo Shola and Adamu Balongu; as well as a Deputy Superintendent of Police.

Adeyemi, whose whereabouts remain unknown, told Channels Television on Monday that he had withdrawn from public view because of alleged threats to his life.

He denied claims that he was evading law enforcement agencies over the alleged PFIPC fraud.

"I'm ready to show my face. I'm not hiding. I'm only fearing for my life because I have it on good authority that my life is in danger. There have been several attempts on my life," he said.

Adeyemi also repeated his allegation that he paid N400 million through an intermediary to President Bola Tinubu's Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, to secure his appointment as Director-General of the disputed council.

According to him, those who provided the N400 million have since petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the transaction.

An interim police investigation reportedly found that Adeyemi forged appointment letters and other official documents to portray the PFIPC as a legitimate federal government agency.

Police said the investigation began after the Office of the Chief of Staff petitioned the Inspector-General of Police on October 17, 2025, alleging that individuals were forging official appointment letters purportedly issued from the office.

Investigators said the forged documents contained fake signatures, reference numbers, official seals and the Nigerian Coat of Arms, and were allegedly used to appoint officials into the non-existent PFIPC.

Police also alleged that Adeyemi presented himself as the Director-General of the council and operated from an office within the Federal Secretariat Complex, Phase III, Abuja.

One of the individuals allegedly linked to the scheme, Dolapo Babatunde Tanimola, reportedly died in a hotel fire in Abuja.

Despite the allegations, Adeyemi has insisted that the PFIPC is a legitimate body and has called for an independent, multi-stakeholder investigation into the alleged N1.3 billion budget insertion for the council in the 2026 Appropriation Bill.

In an open letter to President Tinubu, he pledged to provide documentary evidence and cooperate fully with investigators if an independent panel was established.

He proposed that the panel should include representatives of civil society organisations, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), independent media organisations, international financial institutions, human rights groups, diplomatic missions, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and the EFCC.

Adeyemi further stated that his decision to remain out of the public eye was reinforced by the circumstances surrounding the death of Tanimola, whom he described as a key intermediary in the controversy.