Nigerian police have arrested the alleged head of a fictitious government agency linked to the presidency after he spent several weeks in hiding.
Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, who presented himself as the director general of the so-called Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council, was detained in Nigeria’s south-western Osun State.
His arrest followed a warrant issued by the Federal High Court in Abuja after he failed to attend a hearing on Tuesday to face charges including forgery and impersonation.
The controversy has attracted widespread attention since President Bola Tinubu ordered an investigation into the alleged agency, which appeared to have gained access to government facilities and was listed in Nigeria’s 2026 federal budget.
Police said officers from the Force Intelligence Department and the Intelligence Response Team were involved in the arrest. Adeyemi is expected to be transferred to police headquarters in Abuja for further questioning.
Authorities launched a manhunt after the presidency said an official-looking letter purporting to establish the council was fraudulent.
According to the president’s office, forensic analysis showed that the signature of Tinubu’s chief of staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, had been forged on a disputed appointment letter linked to the agency.
The case has prompted opposition politicians, civil society organisations and senior lawyers to demand an independent investigation into how the alleged organisation secured official recognition and appeared in government records.
Adeyemi has denied wrongdoing and previously told local media that he feared for his life. He had promised to attend court to defend himself but failed to appear at Tuesday’s hearing.
His lawyer, Genesis Francis, told the court he had been unable to persuade his client to attend because of concerns over his safety. The lawyer said Adeyemi had also written an open letter to President Tinubu outlining those fears.
Adeyemi claimed the council was created in 2024 to attract foreign investment to Nigeria, although no confirmed investment agreements have been linked to the organisation.
The agency reportedly secured office space inside the Federal Secretariat in Abuja, a major government complex housing several ministries and departments.
It also appeared in the 2026 Appropriation Act with a budget allocation of 1.3 billion naira, equivalent to about $950,000.
However, the Office of the Accountant-General said the council had never operated an account with Nigeria’s central bank and had not received government funding or salary payments.
Court documents allege that Adeyemi and two other suspects used forged government documents to establish and operate the council, opened several bank accounts in its name and attempted to obtain official recognition for the non-existent agency.