₦1.3bn ‘Ghost Agency’ Scandal: Video of Alleged DG Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Resurfaces Amid Ongoing Court Case
A video featuring Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, the man at the centre of the alleged ₦1.3 billion “ghost agency” scandal, has resurfaced online, drawing renewed public attention to the high-profile controversy.
The footage, recorded during a press conference in late June 2026, shows Adeyemi defending his claim that he headed the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) while challenging the position of the Presidency and the Office of the Chief of Staff.
During the briefing, Adeyemi questioned how an agency the Federal Government describes as non-existent could have appeared in official budget documents.
He argued that Nigeria’s budget goes through several stages of preparation and approval, including reviews by government ministries, the Budget Office, the Federal Executive Council, and the National Assembly. According to him, the presence of the council in official budget records raises questions about how the agency was included if it had no legal existence.
Adeyemi also claimed that the council maintained multiple accounts with the Central Bank of Nigeria, including a Treasury Single Account (TSA), a domiciliary account, and a pound sterling account. He argued that such accounts could not have been opened without proper documentation.
In addition, he alleged that the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, requested a significant portion of the council’s proposed take-off funding—an allegation the Presidency has firmly denied.
The Presidency has consistently maintained that the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council was never established by the Federal Government and has no legal backing.
Government officials further allege that Adeyemi forged official appointment documents and falsely presented himself as the Director-General of the council. Authorities also claim he operated from an office within Phase III of the Federal Secretariat in Abuja, where he reportedly met with government officials, diplomats, investors, and members of the public while claiming to represent a federal agency.
The controversy intensified after reports indicated that an entity listed in the 2026 Appropriation Act under the Presidential Economic Advisory Council/Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council received more than ₦1.3 billion in budget allocations. The reported funding included approximately ₦803 million for personnel costs, ₦200 million for overhead expenses, and ₦300 million for capital projects, raising fresh questions about the budget approval process.
Adeyemi is currently standing trial before the Federal High Court in Abuja on an eight-count charge that includes alleged forgery, impersonation, false representation, and operating a fictitious government agency.
The Presidency has urged Nigerians to allow the judicial process to take its course and disregard claims made outside the courtroom. Adeyemi, however, continues to insist that he is not an impostor and says the court will determine the matter.
