Adeniyi Adeyemi, Director-General of the controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), has been arrested.

He was arrested in Osun State hours after a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja ordered his immediate arrest over his failure to appear in court.

Justice Mohammed Umar mandated security agencies to arrest and produce the defendant before the court on September 30.

The judge issued the bench warrant against Adeyemi’s arrest following an oral application made by the police lawyer and prosecutor, Wisdom Madaki.

Adeyemi was billed to take his plea on an eight-count charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/562/2025, relating to forgery, fraud, and impersonation at the Court located in Maitama Area of Abuja.

However, although the matter was listed as No. 12 on the court’s cause list, the defendant failed to appear for his arraignment.

A lawyer, who identified himself as Genesis Francis, announced his appearance on his behalf.

Daily Trust reports that Adeyemi had said in an interview with a national television station on Monday that his withdrawal from public, was due to alleged threats to his life.

Adeyemi also dismissed the insinuation that he was hiding from law enforcement agencies in a bid to evade investigation into his involvement in 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,” Adeyemi had said.

The embattled ‘DG’ also maintained his allegation that he paid N400 million through a proxy to President Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Gbajabiamila, to secure his appointment as DG of the disputed council.

According to him, those from whom he borrowed the N400 million he used to secure the appointment have since dragged him before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

He insisted that the PFIPC was existent, while demanding an independent, multi-stakeholder investigative panel to probe the controversy surrounding the alleged N1.3 billion budget insertion for the Council in the 2026 Appropriation Bill.

Adeyemi said his decision to stay off the radar was further reinforced by the controversial circumstances surrounding the death of Tanimola, whom he described as a key intermediary in the matter.

When the case was called on Tuesday before the judge, the prosecution counsel, Madaki noted that the defendant had repeatedly failed to appear for his trial.

“My lord, this is the fifth time this case is coming up, and all the adjournments have been at the instance of the defendant,” the police lawyer lamented.

Consequently, relying on Section 394 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, the prosecution counsel urged the court to issue a warrant for his arrest.

But the application was immediately opposed by the defence lawyer, who blamed his client’s absence in court on alleged threats to his life.

The defence lawyer drew the court’s attention to the fact that his client was present for his arraignment on May 16, a date to which he said the case was later adjourned.

According to the lawyer, the defendant intended to remain alive to stand trial, adding that “since then, this case has become a matter of public importance, and there have been many threats to his life.

“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 added.

Responding, Justice Umar said, “The court will help him be alive.”

Delivering his ruling after listening to both lawyers, Justice Umar said he was minded to accede to the application for the issuance of a warrant of arrest against the defendant.

The court noted that whereas the case was filed on November 27, 2025, proceedings did not commence until December 4, 2025.

Justice Umar noted that since the charge was filed, the defendant had appeared before the court only once.

“Since then, he has failed to appear before this court on four consecutive dates,” Justice Umar added.

He, therefore, issued a warrant mandating security agencies to arrest and produce the defendant before the court on September 30 for arraignment.