ICPC Files Fresh 36-Count Charges Against Adeniyi Adeyemi and Four Others

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has expanded its prosecution of Adeniyi Adeyemi, filing a second amended 36-count charge against him and four additional defendants before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Maitama, Abuja.

The latest development increases the charges from the previous 22 counts and widens the scope of the case involving the alleged operation of a purported government institution known as the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC).

The four additional defendants named in the amended charge are Aminu Abdullahi, Ogaba Harry, Florence Omameh and Patricia Akhigbe.

The development was disclosed during proceedings on Monday, November 9, when ICPC prosecution counsel, Sylvanus Tahir, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), informed the court that the commission had amended the earlier charge to include the additional defendants and further allegations arising from its investigation.

The prosecution's case centres on allegations that Adeyemi presented himself as the Director-General of the purported PFIPC, an organisation described by the prosecution as non-existent.

The investigation concerns alleged attempts to establish the organisation's legitimacy through official-sounding designations, documents and government-related representations.

According to reports of the amended proceedings, the expanded charges include allegations of forgery, impersonation, criminal conspiracy, official corruption and the giving or receiving of gratification.

The prosecution also alleges that some of the defendants were involved in activities intended to facilitate the purported organisation's operations through government administrative structures.

The inclusion of four additional defendants significantly broadens the case beyond the allegations previously brought against Adeyemi alone.

However, the allegations against each defendant must be considered individually, and their respective criminal responsibility remains a matter for determination by the court.

The amended charge identifies four additional individuals alongside Adeyemi:

Aminu Abdullahi

Ogaba Harry

Florence Omameh

Patricia Akhigbe

Reporting on the court proceedings identifies the defendants as public officers associated with different government institutions, including the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation and the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning.

Their inclusion in the amended prosecution raises questions about the administrative processes through which a purported government institution could allegedly obtain official recognition, access government facilities or engage with public-sector structures.

The prosecution will be required to establish the specific allegations against each defendant through admissible evidence. Being named in a criminal charge does not, by itself, establish wrongdoing.

The amended charge was brought before Justice Yusuf Halilu on Monday, November 9, when the matter was initially scheduled for the hearing of Adeyemi's bail application.

However, the planned arraignment on the amended charges could not proceed because Florence Omameh, the fourth defendant, was absent from court on health grounds.

Prosecution counsel informed the court that Omameh was receiving medical attention at a hospital in Abuja and that her absence prevented the prosecution from proceeding with the joint arraignment of all five defendants.

Tahir relied on Section 266 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) in explaining the requirement for an accused person to be present during criminal proceedings, subject to exceptions provided by law.

He consequently requested an adjournment to allow the absent defendant time to recover and appear before the court.

Counsel to Adeyemi, Ibrahim Angulu, SAN, did not oppose the amended charge or the request for an adjournment. He, however, drew the court's attention to his client's period in detention.

After considering the submissions, Justice Halilu adjourned the matter until **November 18, 2026**, for the arraignment of the five defendants.

The judge also directed that Adeyemi be returned to the Kuje Correctional Centre, while the other defendants were to return to the ICPC detention facility pending the next court date.

As of the November 9 proceedings, the five defendants had yet to enter their pleas to the amended 36-count charge.

The prosecution has undergone several procedural developments since the initial investigation and institution of charges against Adeyemi.

The matter was originally initiated by the Nigeria Police Force before the ICPC subsequently assumed responsibility for the prosecution.

An earlier eight-count case was withdrawn in October 2026 following a review of the proceedings, after which the prosecution was restructured and brought before the FCT High Court.

Adeyemi was subsequently arraigned on a 22-count charge on October 29, 2026.

The latest amendment, which increases the charges to 36 counts and introduces four additional defendants, represents another significant development in the investigation.

The decision to expand the prosecution indicates that the commission is pursuing allegations involving not only the purported leadership of the organisation but also individuals it believes may have played roles in related administrative or financial activities.

The court will ultimately determine the strength of the evidence and the legal responsibility, if any, of each defendant.

The allegations raise wider questions about institutional verification, public-sector accountability and the safeguards governing access to government offices and resources.

In Nigeria, organisations claiming presidential, ministerial or other official government affiliations may attract the attention of businesses, investors and members of the public.

The alleged misuse of government-related identities or institutional designations, if established, could undermine public confidence in official institutions and create opportunities for financial or administrative abuse.

The case also highlights the importance of effective verification procedures within government ministries, departments and agencies.

Public institutions must maintain reliable systems for confirming official appointments, validating institutional identities and authenticating documents presented in their names.

Such safeguards are particularly important where representations involving government authority, public funding or official endorsements could influence business and investment decisions.

Despite the seriousness of the allegations, the amended charge remains an accusation that must be established through due judicial process.

Section 36(5) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended, guarantees the presumption of innocence for every person charged with a criminal offence until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.

The defendants are therefore entitled to legal representation, a fair hearing and the opportunity to challenge the prosecution's evidence.

The ICPC will be required to establish the allegations against each defendant in accordance with the applicable law and evidential standards.

With the next hearing scheduled for November 18, 2026, attention will turn to the arraignment of all five defendants and the subsequent direction of the proceedings.

247NewsCheck.com will continue to monitor the ICPC prosecution, the November 18 court proceedings and further verified developments concerning the allegations involving the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council.