Frontline activist Bola Bakare has called for a comprehensive investigation into the alleged activities of Adeniyi Adeyemi, the self-acclaimed Director-General of the purported Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), saying the suspect possesses an alarming volume of seemingly authentic government documents.
Speaking during an interview on Arise News, Bakare described the controversy as evidence of a long-standing systemic failure within Nigeria’s public institutions. He argued that the proliferation of government agencies and weak oversight have created loopholes that enable individuals to exploit official processes.
“I’m happy this is happening so that we can put a stop to it,” Bakare said.
He noted that while Nigeria has about 40 ministries, the number of government agencies has grown into the hundreds, making effective oversight increasingly difficult.
“If Adeyemi had remained quiet, this would have become just another agency among the hundreds already in existence, making the situation even worse. Many of these agencies contribute to making Nigeria an uncomfortable place to do business,” he said.
Bakare stressed that discussions around Nigeria’s ease of doing business often overlook the activities of lower-level government agencies, which, according to him, frequently create unnecessary bottlenecks despite operating under the authority of government.
Referring to the ongoing controversy, he said he was not defending Adeyemi but questioned how the suspect obtained numerous official documents bearing the endorsements of key government offices.
“The kind of operation this Adeyemi has—I am not holding brief for him—but we are smart enough to know what is really happening. He has too much authentic documentation,” Bakare stated.
He alleged that official correspondence linked to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), and the Office of the Head of the Civil Service appeared to have been used in the scheme, suggesting that investigators should identify those responsible for issuing the documents.
Bakare maintained that the incident reflects a broader institutional problem that has persisted for years and urged the Federal Government and relevant agencies to use the case as an opportunity to strengthen accountability.
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu has directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to launch a comprehensive investigation into the activities of the alleged Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council.
The directive was conveyed in a statement issued on Tuesday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
According to the statement, the President instructed the ICPC to conclude its investigation and submit a detailed report within 30 days.
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