Fake agency: Inside police, DSS operation behind Adeyemi’s arrest

Adeniyi Adeyemi, a self-proclaimed Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council, was arrested early Tuesday in Ijebu-Ijesa, Osun State, following a coordinated operation involving the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services (DSS). According to credible sources within law enforcement, the arrest occurred between 11 am and 12 pm local time, marking a culmination of weeks of surveillance and intelligence gathering. Adeyemi had been under observation since July 9, when he was spotted in the Aregbe-Fakule neighborhood of Osogbo, the state capital. His presence there was confirmed through prior tracking efforts by the DSS, which had initially taken charge of monitoring his activities. However, the DSS reportedly withdrew from the case due to challenges in maintaining contact with Adeyemi, who frequently turned off his mobile device to avoid detection. Following the DSS's withdrawal, the IRT led by Senior Superintendent of Police Moses Lohor assumed responsibility for tracking Adeyemi. A senior police officer based in Abuja relayed this change in operational oversight to Lohor’s team, prompting them to initiate active tracking measures on July 9. Despite initial success in locating Adeyemi in Osogbo, the team lost his trail for three consecutive days due to a lack of communication from his phone. The breakthrough came late on Monday when Adeyemi’s location was traced to the vicinity of Ilesa. This prompted the IRT to intensify its efforts, culminating in his arrest the following day. The operation was conducted exclusively by Lohor’s team, with no involvement from local Osun State police units. Seven operatives from the IRT executed the arrest, taking Adeyemi into custody inside a building in Ijebu-Ijesa. A DSS operative familiar with the operation confirmed that the arrest was orchestrated entirely by the IRT. The suspect is currently held at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, where he is scheduled to face court proceedings on July 27. His detention follows a bench warrant issued by a Federal High Court in Abuja after Adeyemi failed to appear for arraignment on eight counts related to a criminal case. The legal action against Adeyemi stems from a lawsuit marked FHC/ABJ/CR/562/2025, filed by the police. He and two unnamed individuals, referred to as Femi and Anu, are charged with conspiracy, forgery, and impersonation. The allegations suggest that the trio operated a fraudulent government agency and fabricated official presidential documents to lend credibility to their operations between 2024 and 2025. Among the prosecution’s witnesses are high-ranking officials, including the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, and three representatives from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation. These individuals are expected to provide testimony regarding the authenticity of the documents and the nature of the alleged fraud. When approached for comment, the Osun State Police Command spokesperson, Abiodun Ojelabi, deferred inquiries to the Force Public Relations Office. He did not elaborate further on the circumstances surrounding Adeyemi’s arrest or the ongoing investigation. The case has drawn attention due to the involvement of purportedly high-level government figures and the creation of a fictitious agency. Law enforcement authorities have emphasized the importance of verifying the legitimacy of such organizations to prevent potential misuse of public resources and misrepresentation of governmental functions. As the legal process unfolds, the focus will remain on the evidence presented in court and the testimonies of key witnesses. The outcome of the trial could set a precedent for how similar cases involving government-related fraud are handled in the future.