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Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), is set to defend Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, who is facing criminal charges filed by the Federal Government over allegations of conspiracy, forgery, impersonation and the use of forged presidential documents.

Adeyemi recently made headlines after accusing the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, of demanding bribes running into hundreds of millions of naira in connection with his alleged appointment to head a government agency.

However, the Presidency has dismissed the allegations, insisting that Adeyemi was never appointed by President Bola Tinubu and that the agency he claimed to head does not exist.

Sources familiar with the matter told SaharaReporters on Wednesday that Falana would represent Adeyemi in the criminal proceedings before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The Federal Government has filed an eight-count charge against Adeyemi over alleged conspiracy, forgery, impersonation and the use of forged presidential documents.

The charge also listed two other suspects identified simply as Femi and Anu, whose surnames were not disclosed. Both are said to be at large.

According to the charge sheet, Adeyemi, whose address was listed as the second floor of the Federal Secretariat Complex, Abuja, allegedly conspired with the two suspects to forge several official State House documents.

The prosecution alleged that the defendants forged a presidential appointment letter purportedly issued by President Bola Tinubu and signed by Gbajabiamila.

They were also accused of forging official presidential letterheads and several State House documents, including requests for office space, collaboration with government agencies and approvals relating to the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council.

The government further alleged that between 2024 and 2025, Adeyemi falsely presented himself as the Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council.

Adeyemi has consistently maintained that he is the Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council.

The Federal Government, however, described the agency as fictitious, insisting that no such government institution exists.

The criminal charges followed Adeyemi’s allegations that Gbajabiamila demanded ₦400m and an additional ₦200m to facilitate his appointment as head of a government agency.

He also alleged that the Chief of Staff demanded 48 per cent of the agency’s proposed ₦27.4bn take-off grant.

Adeyemi challenged the Presidency to constitute an independent panel to investigate the allegations and subject official documents signed by Gbajabiamila to forensic examination.

But in a detailed response on Wednesday, the Presidency defended the Chief of Staff, saying investigations conducted by the Office of the Chief of Staff, the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Nigeria Police Force established that Adeyemi was never appointed by President Tinubu or any government authority.

According to the Presidency, the investigations revealed that Adeyemi allegedly forged official documents and falsely presented himself as the head of the non-existent Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council.

The police said the case originated from a petition submitted by the Office of the Chief of Staff after forged appointment letters purportedly issued from the office were allegedly discovered.

Investigators alleged that forged documents bearing fake signatures, official seals and reference numbers were used to create the impression that Adeyemi headed a federal government agency.

According to the police, Adeyemi was arrested on October 27, 2025, at an office where he allegedly operated as Director-General of the purported council.

Searches conducted at the office and his residence in APC Quarters, Suleja, Niger State, reportedly led to the recovery of several documents and exhibits linked to the investigation.

Police said Adeyemi told investigators that one Dolapo Babatunde Tanimola procured the alleged appointment letter for him.

However, investigators said they later established that Tanimola had died in a fire incident at a hotel in Abuja, a claim they said was corroborated by his family, hospital officials and church records.

The police further disclosed that financial intelligence obtained from the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) revealed that Adeyemi maintained 34 active bank accounts across various commercial banks.

Investigators also alleged that he opened an account with the Central Bank of Nigeria in the name of the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council.

The police concluded that their investigation established a prima facie case against Adeyemi, alleging that he deliberately forged presidential documents and falsely presented himself as a Federal Government appointee.

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By Gloria Ikibah

Following recent xenophobic protests, the Federal Government has evacuated 593 Nigerians from South Africa, with three additional evacuation flights scheduled to bring home hundreds more citizens who have indicated their willingness to return.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement signed by the Spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa on Thursday, disclosed this, saying that the evacuation exercise underscores the government’s commitment to protecting Nigerians abroad during times of crisis.

According to the Ebienfa, the first batch of 258 evacuees arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport on 11 June aboard a special Air Peace flight and was received by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sola Enikanolaiye, on behalf of the Federal Government before being handed over to relevant agencies for documentation and profiling.

He explained that logistical challenges delayed the second evacuation flight, resulting in some Nigerians being temporarily accommodated at the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria.

The Spokesperson added that a Nigerian philanthropist voluntarily paid for the tickets of 66 stranded citizens, who subsequently returned to Lagos on 24 June aboard South African Airways.

A further 269 Nigerians arrived on a second government-coordinated evacuation flight on 30 June, bringing the total number of returnees to 593.

The ministry said the evacuation exercise was still ongoing.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to assure Nigerians that three additional flights will be operated in the next few days to ensure that all Nigerians who voluntarily registered to be evacuated and have been duly screened and cleared are brought back safely to the country. The expected number in that regard is 700 Nigerians”, the statement read.

According to the statement, the next evacuation flight will arrive on Friday, 3 July, carrying 271 returnees, with touchdown expected at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport at 5.30am.

The ministry also dismissed reports alleging that officials at the Nigerian mission in South Africa demanded money from stranded citizens before registering them for evacuation, and described the allegations as unfounded.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to place on record that all the special evacuation flights are fully paid for by the Federal Government and at no cost to the returnees.

“This clarification is necessitated by insinuations and false allegations that some staff of the Nigerian Mission were requesting money before enlisting our nationals for the evacuation flights. That is totally false, fake news, and should be discarded”, it stated

The ministry commended the collaboration among relevant ministries, departments and agencies involved in the operation, describing the exercise as a demonstration of the government’s commitment to safeguarding the welfare of Nigerians overseas.

“The evacuation process clearly underscores the priority accorded to the protection of Nigerian citizens overseas, which remains a central pillar of Nigeria’s foreign policy and a core responsibility of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“It also reflects the Government’s determination to ensure that Nigerians affected by crises abroad receive the necessary support, dignity, and care. The lives of Nigerians living abroad matters and we are trying our best as a Ministry to give them a sense of belonging”, it added. 

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By Gloria Ikibah

Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to humanitarian diplomacy and closer collaboration with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) following a high-level meeting between the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and the federation’s new Head of Delegation, Ghulam Muhammed Awan.

The meeting, held in Abuja on Wednesday, came as Dr Awan formally presented his Letter of Commission and provided both sides with an opportunity to reaffirm their long-standing partnership in humanitarian assistance, disaster response, community resilience and the protection of vulnerable people.

Welcoming the IFRC official, Odumegwu-Ojukwu congratulated him on his appointment and expressed confidence that his tenure would strengthen the federation’s engagement with Nigeria and the wider West African region.

“I am confident that your tenure will further strengthen the Federation’s engagement with Nigeria and the wider West African region. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to support the important humanitarian mandate of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies,” the minister said.

She praised the work of the Nigerian Red Cross Society and the global Red Cross Movement, describing their contributions during disasters, armed conflicts, disease outbreaks and other emergencies as invaluable.

“The Red Cross has, over generations, earned global respect through its commitment to humanity, neutrality, impartiality and voluntary service,” she said.

Reflecting on her personal experiences, the minister recalled the organisation’s long-standing presence in Nigerian communities, saying its humanitarian activities had inspired generations of young people to support the less privileged.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu also paid tribute to Red Cross volunteers working in difficult environments across the country, noting that they often risk their lives to provide assistance without discrimination.

“The enduring legacy of the organisation continues to foster compassion, volunteerism and community service across generations.

“The neutrality of the Red Cross remains one of its greatest strengths, enabling it to assist solely based on need, irrespective of political, ethnic or religious considerations. It is also encouraging that humanitarian workers and volunteers in Nigeria continue to enjoy the confidence and cooperation of local communities, thereby facilitating the effective delivery of humanitarian assistance across the country,” she said.

In response, Dr Awan thanked the minister for the warm reception and reaffirmed the federation’s commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s humanitarian response systems.

He stressed that the IFRC’s operations are guided by internationally recognised humanitarian principles.

“The Federation continues to strengthen community-based approaches to disaster preparedness and emergency response through its extensive network of volunteers operating at national, state and community levels.

“Our effectiveness is built upon the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence, which enable our volunteers to assist all persons in need without discrimination,” Awan said.

The IFRC official described Nigeria as a strategic partner within the federation’s West and Central Africa operations and expressed optimism that cooperation with the Federal Government would continue to grow.

“We look forward to expanding collaboration in disaster risk reduction, climate resilience, public health, emergency preparedness and humanitarian capacity development,” he added.

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation in humanitarian action, disaster preparedness, the protection of vulnerable communities and the promotion of sustainable resilience across Nigeria and the wider West African region.