Police Fail To Produce ‘Phantom’ Council DG Before Reps, Seek Court Warrant

The Nigeria Police Force on Wednesday failed to produce the self-acclaimed Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), Mr. Adeyemi Adeniyi, before the House of Representatives Ad Hoc Committee investigating the activities of the alleged phantom agency.

Instead, police representatives told the committee that they would require a written court warrant authorising the suspect’s release from custody before they could comply with the House’s directive.

The committee, chaired by Rep. Yusuf Gagdi (APC, Plateau), had on Monday directed the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Disu, to produce Adeyemi before lawmakers by noon on Wednesday to assist in the ongoing investigation.

However, when the committee reconvened, police officials informed lawmakers that Adeyemi was being held pursuant to a valid court remand order and could not be brought before the panel without the necessary legal authorisation from the court.

The police explained that while they remained committed to cooperating with the House investigation, compliance with the committee’s directive must not conflict with existing judicial orders.

They therefore requested the committee to provide the appropriate court-backed warrant or written legal authorisation to enable them produce the suspect before lawmakers without violating the remand order.