The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has told the House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee investigating the controversial Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council that the Nigeria Police Force could not produce the self-styled Director-General of the agency, Prince Adeyemi Adeniyi, because he is being held in custody pursuant to a valid court order.
The committee, chaired by Yusuf Gagdi, had on Monday issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the police to produce Adeniyi to answer questions arising from testimonies presented by several government institutions. The directive followed submissions from the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Budget Office of the Federation and the Nigeria Police Force, all of which distanced themselves from the purported council. At the resumed investigative hearing on Wednesday, the IGP was represented by Deputy Commissioner of Police Olufemi Akinola, who appeared alongside Assistant Commissioner of Police Bashir Abdullahi.
Addressing the committee, Akinola explained that Adeniyi could not be produced because he was being held pursuant to a valid order of the Federal High Court. He said the police would require a production warrant or other appropriate order from the court before complying with the committee’s request. Akinola stated that the Nigeria Police Force recognises the constitutional oversight powers of the National Assembly and remains committed to cooperating with the committee, but noted that it would be appreciated if a production warrant could be obtained from a court of competent jurisdiction to enable the police to comply with the request.
Reading from the IGP’s letter, committee chairman Yusuf Gagdi said the police informed the panel that the suspect is being investigated for alleged conspiracy and forgery, which is what has taken him into custody. Gagdi explained that the IGP made it clear that the suspect’s continued detention was backed by a subsisting court order, making it legally impossible for the police to produce him before the National Assembly unless the remand order was first vacated. The committee chairman deliberately read the police letter during the hearing to dispel any public impression that Adeniyi had ignored the lawmakers’ invitation, stating that he did so to prevent members of the press from saying the man failed to show up.
In response, Gagdi accepted the explanation and assured the police that the committee would take the necessary legal steps to obtain the required court order. He also pledged that the committee would communicate with the Office of the Inspector-General of Police as soon as the order is secured. The chairman said the committee would not interfere with the police investigation or ongoing court proceedings, adding that they respect the good work the Inspector-General of Police and other security agencies are doing and would not undermine the whole process.
The House of Representatives constituted the ad hoc committee to investigate the activities of the purported Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council following allegations that it operated without legal backing while presenting itself as a Federal Government agency. The committee’s ongoing investigation is expected to establish the circumstances surrounding the creation and operations of the body, identify those responsible, and recommend appropriate legislative and legal actions. The probe has already uncovered what lawmakers described as a trail of suspected forged government documents, and the investigation is no longer centred on one individual but on allegations that the identities and official documents of several federal institutions had been fraudulently exploited.
Abuja Network News
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