Court Orders FG to Grant Adeyemi Unrestricted Access to Lawyers

• The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Federal Government to ensure detained Adeniyi Adeyemi has unrestricted access to lawyers of his choice at all reasonable hours.

• Justice Obiora Egwuatu granted the order after Adeyemi’s lawyer filed a fundamental rights application seeking his release, bail, medical attention, and protection from interrogation without legal representation.

• The court declined to immediately grant the other reliefs, directing the Attorney-General of the Federation and police authorities to show cause within 72 hours why they should not be granted.

• Adeyemi is being prosecuted over alleged forgery and impersonation linked to the disputed Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, which government investigations say was never established.

September 03, () — The Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday ordered the Federal Government to grant Adeniyi Adeyemi, the detained suspect linked to the controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), unrestricted access to lawyers of his choice at all reasonable hours.

Justice Obiora Egwuatu issued the order while ruling on a fundamental rights motion filed on Adeyemi’s behalf by his counsel, M.B. Abdulazeez.

The court specifically granted the sixth relief sought by the applicant, directing the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Nigeria Police Force and other relevant authorities to permit Adeyemi unfettered access to his legal practitioners for as long as he remains in custody.

Adeyemi had, through his counsel, sought six orders covering his detention, bail, medical treatment and his right to legal representation during any interrogation by the authorities.

One of the reliefs sought an order restraining the respondents, including the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the National Forensic Centre and other law-enforcement agencies, from interrogating Adeyemi or requiring him to make, adopt or sign any statement except in the presence of a lawyer of his choice.

Another relief asked the court to direct the authorities to give him “unimpeded access to legal practitioners of his own choosing at all reasonable hours.”

Justice Egwuatu granted the latter relief but declined to determine the requests for bail, release from custody, medical attention and other substantive orders without first hearing from the respondents.

The judge consequently gave the AGF and police authorities 72 hours to show cause why the remaining reliefs sought by Adeyemi should not be granted.

The matter was adjourned until September 9 for the respondents to appear and respond to the application.

Thursday’s ruling came against the backdrop of a separate criminal case instituted against Adeyemi by the police.

The Federal High Court, presided over by Justice Mohammed Umar, had in July issued an arrest warrant against him following his failure to appear for a scheduled proceeding.

The PFIPC Controversy

The controversy surrounding the PFIPC gained national attention after Adeyemi publicly claimed that he had been appointed to head the organisation.

The Presidency subsequently denied that the Federal Government established the council, prompting President Bola Tinubu to direct the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the matter.

In its interim findings, the ICPC reportedly told the President that the PFIPC was never established by the Federal Government and that the appointment letter presented by Adeyemi as evidence of his appointment was forged.

Also on Wednesday, the House of Representatives Ad Hoc Committee investigating the PFIPC, said its preliminary investigation uncovered forged, fabricated or altered documents allegedly used to give the organisation the appearance of legitimacy, including a purported presidential Executive Order and a document presented as an Act of the National Assembly.

The lawmakers also found that a letter purportedly signed by Gbajabiamila appointing Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi as Director-General of the PFIPC was not issued by the Chief of Staff or the Presidency, with State House records showing that no such appointment was made or approved.

Beyond the alleged forgery, the investigation uncovered 58 bank accounts linked in preliminary financial records to Adeyemi and related entities, allegations involving about N400 million in payments and the unauthorised occupation of federal office accommodation by the purported organisation.

Adeyemi, however, has denied wrongdoing and challenged the government’s account of the controversy.

He had publicly called for an independent investigation and claimed that N400 million was paid through intermediaries in connection with the purported appointment, with a further N200 million allegedly demanded.