PFIPC Probe: Reps summon NSA, Foreign Affairs Minister to explain alleged fake council

The House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating the alleged establishment of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) without legal backing has summoned the National Security Adviser (NSA) and the Minister of Foreign Affairs to explain how the council allegedly operated despite concerns over its legitimacy.

The committee specifically asked the NSA to explain why his office did not stop the promoter of the PFIPC, Prince Adeniyi Matthew Adeyemi, from continuing the activities of the alleged agency after the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had identified it as an illegal entity.

Lawmakers also issued a final ultimatum to several Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) connected to the matter, directing their chief executives to appear before the committee on Thursday with all relevant documents.

The summons followed the submission of a memorandum by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Dunoma Umar Ahmed, who informed the committee that the ministry had no official relationship with the PFIPC and had instead sought clarification from the Office of the National Security Adviser after detecting irregularities in the council’s correspondence.

Appearing before the panel with a letter dated July 21, 2026, Ahmed disclosed that Prince Adeyemi, who presented himself as Director-General of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council/Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PEAC/PFIPC), approached the ministry on three occasions seeking collaboration and endorsement to organise a World Investment Summit in Nigeria.

According to the ministry, the requests, received on June 26, 2025, August 5, 2025, and June 5, 2026, were not granted.

The letter stated that the ministry declined the requests after observing discrepancies in the documents submitted and conducting due diligence.

It further revealed that the ministry wrote to the Office of the National Security Adviser on October 16, 2025, seeking clarification on the status of Prince Adeyemi.

According to the ministry, the NSA responded on November 26, 2025, stating that enquiries with both the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President confirmed that “Prince Mathew Adeyemi is unknown to any office of the Federal Government.”

Ahmed maintained that the ministry had no dealings with the PFIPC and never participated in any diplomatic engagement organised by the alleged council.

“The ministry has never had any official interaction or engagement with the PFIPC or its alleged Director-General,” he told the committee.

Committee member Abubakar Hassan Fulata questioned why the ministry did not directly notify Prince Adeyemi that the organisation had no legal status after receiving confirmation from the NSA.

Responding, the committee chairman said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had acted appropriately by referring the matter to the NSA but insisted the security office must now explain what action it took afterwards.

“The Office of the National Security Adviser should appear before this committee and explain that aspect,” the chairman said.

He added that the committee wanted to know why an agency confirmed to be illegal was still able to carry out diplomatic engagements involving foreign nationals.

“Our responsibility is to make laws. Then a strange agency that is supposed to do our function is introduced to us. We notice discrepancies, report to the NSA, the NSA responds that the agency is illegal, then all of a sudden we see the agency engaging foreign nationals in diplomatic functions that need to be coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” he said.

Describing the development as unacceptable, the chairman added that it was a serious embarrassment to government institutions.

“Somebody will outsmart agencies, form a fake agency, get documents and approvals from agencies, conduct diplomatic engagements with foreign nationals. I think this is a big insult on the Nigerian people,” he said.

In response, Ahmed acknowledged that some organisations sometimes bypass official diplomatic channels.

“Sometimes, we find that some of these organisations engage in direct missions without the permission of the Ministry.

“We always send circulars to inform them that it is necessary to follow the laid-down channels of communication,” he said.

The committee commended the ministry for cooperating with the investigation but reminded members that the Minister of Foreign Affairs would still be required to appear before the panel on Thursday.

The committee also directed its secretariat to invite the National Security Adviser to testify.

Reps issue final ultimatum to MDAs

The committee expressed disappointment over the failure of several MDAs to honour its invitation, describing their absence as a serious affront to the constitutional oversight powers of the House of Representatives.

Committee Chairman Yusuf Gagdi warned that invitations issued by the National Assembly are backed by Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution and are legally binding.

“The invitations issued by a duly constituted committee of the House of Representatives are not a matter of discretion. They are issued pursuant to the constitutional powers vested in the National Assembly. Therefore, it is a legal obligation, not an act of courtesy,” he said.

Gagdi directed all defaulting agencies to ensure that their chief executives or accounting officers personally appear before the committee on Thursday with all requested documents.

“We don’t want representation. We don’t want permanent secretaries. We want the accounting officers of the agencies to appear before us with all the relevant documents requested by the committee and any other documents they consider useful to this investigation,” he said.

He warned that agencies that fail to comply would face constitutional sanctions.

“Any ministry, department or agency that fails to appear without lawful justification will leave the committee with no alternative but to invoke every constitutional and statutory power available to us as the House of Representatives to compel compliance and ensure accountability.

“The committee will not hesitate to recommend and pursue every sanction permitted by law against any person or institution that deliberately obstructs or frustrates this investigation,” he added.

Gagdi maintained that the probe is aimed at protecting constitutional governance rather than targeting any individual or institution.

“This investigation is in the national interest. It is not targeted at any individual or institution. It is aimed at establishing the facts, protecting the integrity of public administration, safeguarding the rule of law and ensuring that no public officer or institution operates outside the framework of the Constitution,” he said.

The committee also rejected the representative sent by the Ministry of Finance, insisting that only the ministry’s accounting officer would be accepted.

The hearing was adjourned to Thursday, July 23, 2026, when all defaulting agencies are expected to appear before the panel.

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