Nigerian Deputy Speaker Details Deception by Alleged 'Fake Agency' Director
Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu revealed he was misled by a letter bearing the presidency's seal from the Presidential Foreign Intervention Policy Council, prompting scrutiny over the legitimacy of the body.
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Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, disclosed on Wednesday that he was deceived into granting an audience to the purported Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), Adeniyi Adeyemi, after receiving correspondence that appeared officially sanctioned. The letter bore the presidency’s letterhead and seal, which Kalu said led him to believe the engagement was legitimate.
Speaking during plenary, Kalu recounted how the communication from the PFIPC was presented as official, enabling Adeyemi to gain access to high-level parliamentary officials. "It carried presidency seal," Kalu stated, emphasizing the document’s apparent authenticity. His remarks, reported by Daily Trust and Legit.ng, have sparked growing concern over the misuse of official symbols and the potential for impersonation within government channels.
The controversy deepened as Adeyemi, the embattled DG at the center of the scandal, broke his silence, offering what Legit.ng described as the "real reason" for the establishment of the council. However, neither the Presidency nor any known government institution has confirmed the PFIPC’s existence, raising questions about its legal basis and operational mandate. The agency has since been disowned, with officials distancing themselves from its activities.
The incident has prompted calls for a formal investigation into how such a body could operate under the guise of presidential authority. As scrutiny mounts, attention is turning to the security and verification protocols around official communications, particularly those bearing the national executive’s insignia.