The Presidency has volunteered details on how a certain Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, allegedly built an elaborate web of forged documents, fake government appointments and fictitious agencies to deceive public officials and present himself as a senior presidential appointee under the administration of President Bola Tinubu.

The Presidency, in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, described Adeyemi as “a con artist” who allegedly used forged appointment letters bearing the name of the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, to create and operate a non-existent Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, later referred to as the Presidential Economic Advisory Council.

According to the statement, the alleged scam was uncovered after officials of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Council raised concerns that another purported government agency appeared to be operating alongside it.

The Office of the Chief of Staff subsequently alerted security agencies, accusing unnamed individuals of forging official appointment letters purportedly issued from his office.

“The attention of this office has been drawn to the activities of certain individuals and groups engaged in the forgery of official appointment letters purportedly issued from my office,” Gbajabiamila said in a petition dated October 17.

“The fake documents, bearing falsified signatures, reference/folio numbers, and seals, have been used to claim leadership appointments to non-existent entities, with particular reference to the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council.”

The Chief of Staff disclosed that Adeyemi had allegedly established an office at the Federal Secretariat Complex in Abuja, where he reportedly hosted meetings with Nigerians and foreign nationals while presenting himself as the Director-General of the fictitious agency.

According to the petition, the group even sought diplomatic support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to facilitate United States visas for its purported staff.

“The above development not only constitutes a serious criminal act but also undermines the integrity of the Presidency and the credibility of official government communication,” Gbajabiamila wrote.

“I therefore urge you to initiate a thorough investigation to identify and apprehend those involved and also to uncover the network facilitating the forgery.”

Foreign Affairs Ministry raises red flag

The statement revealed that concerns over Adeyemi’s activities had also reached the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs after he reportedly convened a meeting with ambassadors at the Wells Carlton Hotel and Apartments in Abuja on October 10, 2025, without the ministry’s knowledge.

In a letter dated October 15, 2025, signed by Ambassador Anderson Madubuike and addressed to the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Office of the Chief of Staff, the ministry sought clarification regarding the status of the purported agency.

“This act contravenes extant rules and regulations guiding diplomatic practices globally,” the ministry stated.

The enquiries triggered correspondence among the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Office of the Chief of Staff.

Responding to the enquiries, Gbajabiamila categorically denied appointing Adeyemi or recognising the agency.

“Prince Adeniyi Matthew, Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council, is unknown to any office, nor do we have any dealings with the said council,” he wrote.

“My attention was drawn to a letter of this purported application, which is fake, and my office has instructed the police and other relevant security agencies to carry out investigations on the person and the entity he claims to represent.”

The Presidency stressed that the Chief of Staff could not have issued any appointment letter because appointments into government offices are the exclusive responsibility of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

Police uncover alleged forgery network

Following the petition, the Police launched an investigation and arrested Adeyemi on October 27, 2025, at the Abuja office from where he allegedly operated the scheme.

Searches conducted at both his office and residence in Suleja reportedly yielded several documents and exhibits believed to be connected with the operation.

Investigators said Adeyemi claimed that one Dolapo Babatunde Tanimola assisted him in procuring the forged appointment letter.

However, police investigations established that Tanimola had died in a fire incident at Kachi Hotel in Abuja on October 22, 2025, five days before Adeyemi’s arrest.

According to the State House, investigators established that the agency Adeyemi claimed to head never existed, while the appointment letters and several official documents recovered during the investigation were allegedly forged.

Police also accused him of falsely presenting himself as a presidential appointee and fraudulently requesting a diplomatic note verbale from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to facilitate visa applications for himself and members of his organisation.

Investigators further alleged that Adeyemi operated no fewer than 34 bank accounts, including nine accounts opened in the names of fictitious organisations, including the FCT Investment Promotion Agency and Public Private Partnership (FIPA-APP).

The investigation also found that he allegedly succeeded in opening a Central Bank of Nigeria account by misleading the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation using forged documents.

The Presidency, however, noted that investigators confirmed no government funds were ever paid into the account.

“The act of the suspect constitutes criminal forgery, impersonation and obtaining by false pretence, thereby bringing the office of the Chief of Staff to the President and the Presidency to disrepute before the public and international community,” the police report stated.

Eight-count charge filed

Based on the outcome of the investigation, police filed an eight-count charge before the Federal High Court in Abuja against Adeyemi and two alleged accomplices on November 27, 2025.

The matter is scheduled for hearing on July 27.

According to the Presidency, Adeyemi, while on police bail, recently resurfaced with fresh claims that the Chief of Staff had genuinely appointed him as Director-General of the agency.

The statement noted that the claim directly contradicted the statement he voluntarily made to investigators during the police probe.

It said the renewed allegation prompted Gbajabiamila to issue another public disclaimer on June 8, reaffirming that Adeyemi was an impostor.

Presidency urges caution

The Presidency said Adeyemi had a history of alleged fraudulent misrepresentation, recalling that in 2016 he allegedly presented himself as President-General of the World Youth Organisation, claiming it was affiliated with the United Nations before the UN reportedly disowned the organisation.

Describing the case as that of “a con artist who appears to have built a web of false claims to deceive unsuspecting government officials and the public,” the Presidency urged politicians and members of the public to avoid drawing conclusions before the ongoing criminal trial is concluded.

It further advised that, since the matter is before the court, interested parties should allow the judicial process to determine the allegations against Adeyemi and his co-defendants.

The General Overseer of Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, and Founder of Living Faith Church Worldwide, Bishop David Oyedepo, have thanked U.S. President Donald Trump for recent military action against terrorism in Nigeria, urging Washington to do more to halt the unrelenting attacks.

Both clerics spoke at the “Faith Heroes Award Gala” in Washington D.C. on June 26, 2026, organised by Save Nigeria Group USA, SNGUSA, with the US-Nigeria Civil Society Coalition.

The event honoured Trump, Congressmen Chris Smith and Riley Moore, and other advocates of religious freedom in Nigeria.

Addressing a packed audience of activists, policymakers and faith leaders at the Hilton Garden Inn, Capitol Hill, Adeboye said the scale of violence has moved beyond what any religious leader can handle alone.

“Terrorism is now at my doorstep,” he said. “If you want to help us, help us more.”

The RCCG leader, who had faced criticism for not speaking out earlier, said he chose “spiritual warfare” instead of public escalation. He noted that Trump’s December strikes on terrorist camps did not surprise him because the U.S. President had warned of consequences.

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, on Thursday said Nigeria’s revenue challenge lies in expanding the tax net rather than increasing tax rates, stressing that the country needs more taxpayers, not higher taxes.

Oyedele spoke in Abuja while receiving the leadership of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria during a courtesy visit to the Federal Ministry of Finance at the end of the Institute’s maiden National Tax Awareness Day, which featured a road walk and taxpayer sensitisation at Wuse Market as well as a visit to the headquarters of the Nigerian Revenue Service.

The awareness campaign coincided with one year since President Bola Tinubu signed Nigeria’s landmark Tax Reform Acts into law on June 26, 2025.

Commending the Institute for supporting the Federal Government’s tax reform agenda, Oyedele said public misunderstanding of taxation remained one of the biggest obstacles to improving compliance. According to him, many Nigerians still believe that whenever the government talks about taxation, it is simply seeking to collect more money from citizens.

“We are still not getting enough revenue from taxes; it is not about increasing taxes, but making sure that those who are supposed to pay taxes pay.

We want to promote fairness in tax administration,” he said.

The minister added that getting Nigeria’s tax system right would have a transformative impact on national development. He also urged the Institute to establish annual awards to recognise the country’s most compliant taxpayers as a way of encouraging voluntary tax compliance.

Earlier, the tax awareness campaign commenced at Wuse Market, where the 17th President of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria, Innocent Ohagwa, said the initiative was introduced to bridge the information gap surrounding the country’s tax reforms and improve voluntary compliance.

He explained that although the reforms had been in force for one year, many Nigerians were still uncertain about the changes and how they would affect businesses and individuals.

“The laws have been signed, implementation has begun, yet many taxpayers and stakeholders are still grappling with what has changed, what remains the same, and how these provisions affect their businesses and personal affairs,” he said.

According to Ohagwa, widespread misconceptions have continued to fuel anxiety, with some people believing the reforms introduced new taxes across all aspects of economic activity, while others assume they were designed solely to raise government revenue.

He, however, said the reforms contain significant reliefs and incentives for both individuals and businesses. Among the benefits, he said, individuals can now claim rent relief of up to 20 per cent of annual rent paid, subject to a maximum of N500,000, while essential goods and services, including food, education, healthcare, electricity transmission, and non-oil exports, now enjoy zero-rated Value Added Tax treatment.

He added that compensation for loss of employment or personal injury now attracts higher tax exemption thresholds. For businesses, Ohagwa said companies with annual turnover not exceeding N100m and fixed assets of not more than N250m are exempt from Companies Income Tax, Capital Gains Tax, and the Development Levy.

“This means thousands of small businesses can now reinvest in growth, job creation, and innovation,” he said.

He added that targeted tax incentives had also been introduced for agriculture, aquaculture, dairy production, cocoa processing, and animal feed manufacturing, while eligible investors could benefit from tax credits under the Economic Development Incentive.

Despite the incentives, the CITN president reminded taxpayers that compliance remained a legal obligation.

“Compliance is not a burden; it is a civic duty. It is our collective contribution to nation-building. And taxation works best when there is trust — taxpayers must fulfil their obligations, while the government must uphold accountability, transparency and the effective use of public resources,” he said.

He urged traders, entrepreneurs, and business owners to obtain Tax Identification Numbers, keep proper records, file accurate returns on time, and seek professional guidance from the Nigerian Revenue Service, the FCT Internal Revenue Service, or members of the Institute whenever necessary.

Explaining the rationale for the awareness campaign, Ohagwa said the Institute approved an annual National Tax Awareness Day after observing that many Nigerians remained uninformed about the reforms despite ongoing sensitisation.

He said Wuse Market was deliberately chosen because it represented one of the country’s key grassroots commercial hubs where taxpayer education was most needed, adding that the campaign was held in June because it coincides with the peak filing period for many corporate taxpayers.

After the market sensitisation, the CITN delegation proceeded to the headquarters of the Nigerian Revenue Service, where both organisations reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening tax awareness, voluntary compliance, and the implementation of Nigeria’s tax reforms.

Receiving the delegation on behalf of the Executive Chairman of the NRS, Dr Zacch Adedeji, the Executive Director, Finance and Corporate Services, Mohammed Abubakar, described the occasion as significant because it marked one year since the signing of the country’s landmark tax reform legislation.

“That historic milestone signalled the beginning of a new era in Nigeria’s tax administration, one anchored on simplicity, fairness, transparency, efficiency, and service delivery,” he said.

According to Abubakar, the reforms are intended to build a tax administration system that is trusted, technology-driven, and responsive to the needs of taxpayers and businesses.

He added that sustainable revenue mobilisation depends not only on enforcement but also on public awareness and confidence in tax institutions. “Taxpayers are more likely to comply when they understand their obligations, appreciate the value of taxation and have confidence in the institutions administering our tax laws,” he said.

The visit also highlighted the Service’s digital transformation agenda, with officials pointing to initiatives such as Rev360 and other technology-driven platforms aimed at delivering more efficient tax administration.

Also speaking, the Group Director, Medium Tax Group, Dr Gbenga Daniel, said the NRS would continue collaborating with professional bodies to deepen taxpayer education and improve service delivery.

“The Nigerian Revenue Service values its longstanding partnership with CITN. Together, our institutions share a common vision of improving tax administration and fostering voluntary compliance for national development,” he said.

The reception brought together Executive Directors of the NRS, members of the CITN Governing Council, senior management staff, tax professionals, and industry stakeholders before the delegation proceeded to the Federal Ministry of Finance for the courtesy visit, where Oyedele urged Nigerians to embrace the country’s evolving tax system through greater compliance rather than misconceptions about higher taxation.

In June 2025, President Bola Tinubu signed four sweeping tax reform bills into law, including the Nigeria Tax Act and related statutes that together overhaul decades-old tax statutes and modernise the country’s tax system.

The Punch