Explainer: Everything to know about man who created fake agency, opened CBN account and got budget allocation

The Presidency has issued a detailed statement explaining how it says a man, Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, allegedly created and operated a non-existent government agency while presenting himself as its director-general.

The statement, signed by Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga on Wednesday, was released after Adeyemi reportedly renewed claims that he was appointed by Femi Gbajabiamila, the chief of staff to the President. The Presidency insists those claims are false and says the matter is already before the court.

However, rather than settling the controversy, the statement has generated fresh debate, with many Nigerians arguing that it leaves significant questions unanswered.

What is the controversy?

At the centre of the case is Adeyemi’s claim that he headed what he called the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, also referred to as the Presidential Economic Advisory Council. According to the Presidency, no such federal agency exists.

Officials say Adeyemi allegedly used forged documents to present himself as a presidential appointee, held meetings with diplomats and government officials, maintained an office at the Federal Secretariat in Abuja and sought official recognition from ministries and agencies.

The Presidency describes the operation as an elaborate impersonation scheme designed to give legitimacy to a fictitious government institution.

How was the alleged scheme discovered?
According to the statement, concerns first emerged after officials of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission complained that another body appeared to be performing similar functions.

This prompted the Office of the Chief of Staff to investigate.

On October 17, 2025, the chief of staff petitioned the Department of State Services and the Nigeria Police Force, alleging that unknown persons were forging appointment letters purportedly issued from his office. The petition said the forged documents carried fake signatures, reference numbers and official seals.

Why did the Foreign Affairs Ministry become involved?

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also became suspicious after Adeyemi reportedly convened a meeting with ambassadors at the Wells Carlton Hotel in Abuja on October 10, 2025, without involving the ministry.

The ministry subsequently wrote to both the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Office of the Chief of Staff seeking clarification on the status of the purported agency.

It said the meeting breached established diplomatic procedures.

The inquiry triggered correspondence among the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) and the Office of the Chief of Staff.

What was the chief of staff’s response?

The Presidency says the Chief of Staff consistently denied any knowledge of either Adeyemi or the organisation.

According to the statement, he explained that: No appointment letter was ever issued to Adeyemi, the agency did not exist, and his office does not issue appointment letters, as such appointments are handled by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

He also informed relevant agencies that security authorities had already been asked to investigate the alleged forgery.

What did the police investigation find?

According to the Presidency, police arrested Adeyemi on October 27, 2025, at the office from which he allegedly operated. Searches conducted at the office and his residence reportedly led to the recovery of documents and other exhibits.

The statement says investigators concluded that: the agency was fictitious, the appointment letter was forged, Adeyemi falsely presented himself as a government official and that he sought a diplomatic note verbale from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to facilitate US visa applications for himself and associates.

The Presidency also says police discovered 34 bank accounts allegedly linked to Adeyemi, including nine opened in the names of organisations described as fictitious agencies.

Investigators further alleged that fake documents were used to open an account with the Central Bank of Nigeria through the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation. However, the Presidency says police found that no government funds had been paid into the account.

Who else was mentioned in the investigation?

The statement says Adeyemi told investigators that one Dolapo Babatunde Tanimola helped him obtain the forged appointment letter.

Police later established, according to the Presidency, that Tanimola had died in a fire incident at Kachi Hotel in Abuja on October 22, 2025, five days before Adeyemi’s arrest.

What charges have been filed?

The Presidency says police filed an eight-count charge against Adeyemi and two other defendants at the Federal High Court in Abuja on November 27, 2025.

The charges are said to relate to alleged forgery, impersonation and obtaining by false pretence. According to the statement, the matter is scheduled for hearing on July 27.

Why did the Presidency issue another statement now?

The Presidency says Adeyemi, while on police bail, recently renewed claims that the chief of staff had appointed him as director-general of the purported agency.

It argues that the claim contradicts the statement he allegedly gave investigators during the police probe.

The Presidency says this prompted the Chief of Staff to issue another public disclaimer on June 8, 2026, reaffirming that Adeyemi was never appointed and that the agency does not exist.

What else did the Presidency say?

The statement also refers to an earlier incident in 2016, alleging that Adeyemi previously claimed to be an ambassador and President-General of the World Youth Organisation, which he described as a United Nations affiliate, before the UN reportedly denied the existence of such an organisation.

Based on this history, the Presidency describes Adeyemi as “a con artist” who built “a web of false claims” to deceive government officials and members of the public.

It urged politicians and others commenting on the matter to allow the court process to run its course, noting that the case is sub judice and therefore before the courts.

Why are Nigerians questioning the Presidency’s explanation?

Despite the detailed rebuttal, many Nigerians argue that the statement raises more questions than it answers.

One of the biggest issues is the 2026 Appropriation Act. Findings show that an agency bearing the name allegedly used by Adeyemi has an allocation of about N1.3 billion under the Presidency in the budget signed into law by President Bola Tinubu.

Critics have also pointed to numerous photographs showing Adeyemi meeting senior government officials in his capacity as director-general, including the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), ambassadors and other public officials.

For many Nigerians, these developments have fuelled suspicions that Adeyemi could not have acted alone and may have received support from influential officials within government.

On social media, many users questioned how someone allegedly using forged documents could secure office space in the Federal Secretariat, open a Central Bank account, engage with diplomats and operate for months without detection.

Kayode Ogundamisi, political commentator, said the Presidency’s statement had deepened public suspicion rather than resolving it.
According to him, “Rather than putting public concerns to rest, Mr. Bayo Onanuga’s rebuttal raises even more questions than it answers.”

He argued that if the administration was committed to accountability, the chief of staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, should be suspended pending what he described as an independent and transparent investigation.

One X user wrote: “How can someone get an office in the Federal Secretariat and open a CBN account with a fictitious appointment? You people have serious explanation to do. Even a change of mandate in CBN is a herculean task, not to talk of opening an account.”

Another user, Emmanuel Ebhohinmen, questioned the Central Bank’s internal controls, saying: “So you are saying the CBN is easily manipulated? Cause how in God’s name did they bypass the internal verification checks within the CBN to open an account. There is no way the guy is the mastermind behind this. Y’all are just making him the fall guy and saving the faces of your principals.”

Abiola Lawal also dismissed the Presidency’s explanation, writing: “It is sad you can write this nonsense and think Nigerians are dumb and daft… Nigeria has become a joke.”

Another X user argued that the statement could damage Nigeria’s international reputation, saying foreign investors would struggle to understand how such an operation could allegedly exist without official backing.

Elnathan John also questioned the Presidency’s account, listing what he described as the extraordinary feats allegedly achieved by Adeyemi, from obtaining a presidential appointment letter and securing office accommodation to having an agency included in the national budget, opening a CBN account and convening ambassadors, before sarcastically describing him as “Nigeria’s smartest con artist.”

What happens next?

The allegations remain before the Federal High Court, where Adeyemi and two co-defendants are expected to answer the charges filed against them.

While the Presidency maintains that the agency was fictitious and that the appointment documents were forged, critics say unresolved questions surrounding the agency’s budgetary allocation, access to senior officials, office space and banking arrangements warrant further independent investigation.