PFIPC scandal: Family alleges Reps moved to quiz Adeyemi in custody without lawyers

The family of Adeniyi Adeyemi, the purported Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council, has raised concerns that a House of Representatives ad-hoc committee is attempting to interrogate him while he is in police custody, without his legal counsel present. Peter Adeyemi, his brother, reported that the committee visited the facility where Adeyemi is being held, but he declined to answer any questions due to the absence of his lawyers.

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The Reps committee came and wanted to interrogate him, but he refused. They are still there trying to make him talk without any of his lawyers being present. We are crying out loud so that the right thing would be done.

Peter Adeyemi expressed his family's distress over the development, urging the committee to allow his brother to address the allegations publicly, mirroring the manner in which they were initially made. "He has stated that he wants to be quizzed the same way others who have accused him have spoken. It’s not that he is not willing to state his side of the story," Peter said, emphasizing Adeyemi's willingness to cooperate if proper procedures are followed.

This claim follows Adeyemi's lawyer, Ademola Oyedokun, rejecting the committee's proposal to question his client at an undisclosed location while he remains in police custody. The lawyer stated that while Adeyemi welcomes the probe into the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council, he opposes any closed-door interrogation. "Everyone else in this matter has been heard in public, and what has been said about our client was said in public. He should be allowed to answer in the same place it was said," the statement read.

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He has stated that he wants to be quizzed the same way others who have accused him have spoken. It’s not that he is not willing to state his side of the story.

The committee's Chairman, Yusuf Gagdi, had previously announced plans to question Adeyemi at an undisclosed location, citing the need to avoid interfering with ongoing investigations by the police, EFCC, and ICPC. Gagdi explained that the committee was informed by the police that Adeyemi was in custody under a court order, and that the National Assembly would not undermine the judiciary or violate the separation of powers.

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We have read that the committee intends to interview our client at an undisclosed date and place. We ask it, respectfully, to think again. Everyone else in this matter has been heard in public, and what has been said about our client was said in public. He should be allowed to answer in the same place it was said.