The controversy surrounding the alleged Presidential Fiscal and Infrastructure Projects Council (PFIPC) took a fresh turn on Monday after police operatives reportedly arrested the father of Prince Adeyemi Adeniyi, the key suspect in an ongoing forgery and impersonation case linked to the council.
The arrest reportedly took place at the family’s residence in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, where officers were also said to have detained a family friend who was visiting at the time.
Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, confirmed the development during a telephone interview, describing the arrest as unlawful.
According to him, police officers stormed the residence located behind the Technical College in the Road Safety area of Ogbomoso and took Adeniyi’s father into custody despite the suspect’s commitment to appear before the court.
“There is no legal basis for substituted arrest. The young man has already undertaken to present himself before the court, so there is no justification for arresting his father,” Falana said.
Residents of the neighbourhood also claimed that the officers arrived in four vehicles before taking the elderly man away.
One resident, who requested anonymity, alleged that the operatives prevented neighbours from intervening during the operation and left security personnel monitoring the area after the arrest.
Another eyewitness said Adeniyi’s mother was left traumatised by the incident and had to be moved from the residence after her husband and the visiting family friend were taken away.
As of the time of filing this report, the police had not issued an official statement on the operation, while the claims surrounding the arrests could not be independently verified.
The latest development comes amid growing public attention over allegations that the Presidential Fiscal and Infrastructure Projects Council was never legally established despite claims that it operated under the Presidency.
The controversy has led to criminal charges against Adeniyi, including allegations of forgery, impersonation and related offences.
The case has appeared before the court on several occasions as investigations continue.
Falana has repeatedly maintained that the allegations should be resolved through the judicial process, insisting that only the courts have the constitutional authority to determine criminal liability.
The senior lawyer has also cautioned against actions that could be interpreted as intimidation or interference while the criminal proceedings remain before the court.