The Presidency has reaffirmed that Adeyemi Adeniyi Matthew, who allegedly paraded himself as the Director-General of a non-existent Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, is an impostor currently facing criminal prosecution over alleged forgery, impersonation and obtaining by false pretence.
The clarification was made by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, in a statement posted on his X account on Wednesday amid renewed public interest in the case.
According to Onanuga, the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President first became aware of the alleged fake agency after the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) reported that another organisation was performing functions similar to those of the commission.
The Presidency disclosed that, following the discovery, the Chief of Staff petitioned the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police Force on October 17, 2025, requesting an investigation into individuals allegedly forging appointment letters purportedly issued from his office.
The petition alleged that Adeyemi had been presenting himself as the Director-General of the so-called Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council while operating from the Federal Secretariat Complex in Abuja.
According to the statement, he allegedly held meetings with foreign diplomats and Nigerian government officials and sought diplomatic support, including requesting a note verbale from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to facilitate United States visas for members of the purported agency.
The Presidency described the alleged activities as criminal, stating that they undermined the integrity of the Presidency and official government communications.
The statement added that the petition submitted to security agencies included copies of the alleged forged appointment letter, correspondence sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and photographs obtained from the purported agency’s website.
The Presidency further revealed that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had earlier, on October 15, 2025, sought clarification from both the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Office of the Chief of Staff after Adeyemi reportedly convened a meeting with ambassadors at the Wells Carlton Hotel in Abuja without the ministry’s knowledge.
According to the ministry, the meeting violated established diplomatic procedures.
The statement also disclosed that the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) later requested clarification following enquiries from government institutions and non-governmental organisations regarding the authenticity of Adeyemi’s alleged appointment.
The Chief of Staff, however, denied issuing any appointment letter to Adeyemi and maintained that the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council does not exist.
He further stressed that appointments into government positions fall within the constitutional responsibilities of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and not the Office of the Chief of Staff.
The Presidency reiterated its warning to the public to disregard claims by individuals presenting themselves as officials of the non-existent agency, while investigations and prosecution of the case continue.
