The controversy surrounding the establishment of an alleged fake government agency, Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) and its Director-General, Adeniyi Adeyemi continues to spiral with new scandals emerging.
A businessman, Mr. Gbenga Collins, on Tuesday told the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating the activities of the purported agency that Adeyemi allegedly scammed him of N400 million using the promise of a lucrative government contract.
He said he was convinced of Adeyemi’s position as head of a government agency hence he paid the money in hopes of receiving a contract to the official residence of the agency’s Director-General.
He said Adeyemi invited him to Abuja on the pretext that he would be awarded the renovation contract.
Collins said he believed he was dealing with a genuine Federal Government agency because everything he encountered during his visits to Abuja – from official vehicles and security personnel to the office environment and prominent visitors – reinforced Adeyemi’s claims.
His testimony prompted the committee to summon the Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) to explain how vehicles allegedly used by the fake agency bore official Federal Government number plates.
Appearing before the committee chaired by Yusuf Gagdi, Collins traced his ordeal to December 2024, when he met Mathew during a programme in Ogbomoso, Oyo State.
Collins said he is the Managing Director of Divine Dopacy Nigeria Limited, an agribusiness company established in October 2017 to source agricultural produce from farmers for export.
He added that he graduated from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta.
According to him, Adeyemi invited him to Abuja in January or February 2025 to discuss what he described as a business opportunity.
Collins said that on arrival at the airport, an official vehicle picked him up and conveyed him to Adeyemi’s office at the Federal Secretariat.
The businessman said the reception immediately convinced him that Adeyemi occupied a genuine government office.
“When I got there, I met him in his office. He is well known in Ogbomoso. I also met many prominent people waiting to see him, and security officers were guarding the office,” he said.
He added that the official vehicle bore Federal Government registration plates, while police officers accompanied Adeyemi during his movements.
“It was my first time in Abuja, and I was not familiar with the city. I saw police officers with him. The Lexus SUV that picked me up had Federal Government registration plates.
“Everything I saw suggested he was genuinely heading a government agency,” Collins said.
According to him, Adeyemi introduced himself as the Director-General of both the Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC) and the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC).
The witness said he had no reason to question those claims because the office environment, security arrangements and official vehicles all projected the image of a legitimate Federal Government institution.
Collins said Adeyemi subsequently informed him that he intended to renovate and furnish the official residence allocated to him as Director-General and asked whether his company could undertake the project.
“He told me he wanted to renovate and refurbish the official residence assigned to him and asked if I could handle the contract,” Collins said.
According to him, Adeyemi personally took him to inspect the property.
“I slept in Abuja, and we went there the next day with his staff. We travelled in several vehicles with security personnel.
“They opened the house and took me round, showing me the areas they wanted renovated.”
Although he told lawmakers he could no longer remember the exact location of the property because he was unfamiliar with Abuja, Collins said he still has photographs taken during the inspection.
Following the visit, discussions continued for some weeks until around April 2025, when Adeyemi again invited him to Abuja.
This time, Collins said, he was handed what appeared to be a contract award letter, a scope of work and an agreement between the purported agency and Divine Dopacy Nigeria Limited.
According to him, Adeyemi explained that before mobilisation for the contract could commence, he had to demonstrate his financial capacity by paying N400 million.
Collins said: “He gave me the contract award letter, the scope of work and the agreement with my company.
“He said I had to pay N400 million to demonstrate that I had the financial capacity to execute the contract. He also said the payment would fast-track mobilisation.”
Believing the transaction was genuine, Collins said he mobilised funds from business associates and investors who trusted his judgment because he had personally visited the agency’s office and inspected the proposed project.
“I kept telling those who gave me the money that I had been to the man’s office and believed it was a genuine opportunity. That was why people released their money to me,” he said.
Collins told the committee that the N400 million was paid in five instalments.
According to him, the first payment of N100 million was made on May 16, 2025, into a Guaranty Trust Bank account in the name of World Entrepreneurs Limited.
A second payment of N100 million followed on May 22, while another N100 million was transferred into the same account on May 28.
He said he subsequently paid N80 million into the same account on June 20, bringing the total amount transferred to World Entrepreneurs Limited to N380 million.
After exhausting his resources, Collins said he informed Adeyemi that he could no longer raise additional funds.
However, he said Adeyemi insisted on receiving the outstanding balance before mobilisation could begin.
Collins told lawmakers that the remaining N20 million was eventually paid on July 29, 2025, into an Access Bank account belonging to Sunshine Confectionery and Catering Services, bringing the total amount paid to N400 million.
He said throughout the period, Adeyemi repeatedly assured him that mobilisation for the project would commence in August 2025.
“But whenever I called afterwards, he kept saying they were handling security issues. Later, he told me payment would come in November.”
According to Collins, those promises never materialised.
As pressure mounted from the people who contributed the money, he said he repeatedly travelled to Abuja to see Adeyemi but found it increasingly difficult to reach him.
Eventually, the alleged DG stopped answering his calls.
Faced with mounting financial pressure, Collins said he consulted a lawyer in Abuja.
“My lawyer was the first person who told me that I had been scammed,” he said.
He disclosed that his lawyer petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on November 13, 2025.
According to him, he was invited to adopt the petition on November 19, after which the anti-graft agency commenced investigations.
Collins said the EFCC invited several individuals whose accounts the money had allegedly been paid into.
He added that investigators informed him that Adeyemi repeatedly failed to honour invitations, allegedly citing ill health through his lawyer.
“The EFCC has been trying to invite him. I understand that his lawyer kept saying he would appear. Since then, I have not heard anything further, but I know the agency is still handling the matter,” he said.
The businessman appealed to lawmakers to prevail on all agencies involved to ensure justice was done.
He said: “I have been frustrated. The people who contributed the money are mounting pressure on me. I have started selling my property. My business is no longer doing well.”
Collins insisted that he acted in good faith because every circumstance surrounding his interactions with Adeyemi suggested he was a genuine public official.
He added that their relationship also influenced his decision.
“Besides, we are from the same town, Ogbomoso, and we met at a function there towards the end of 2024.
“I acted based on trust. I went to his office and met prominent people there. I saw people discussing contracts with him. I also trusted him because he is from my hometown,” he said.
During questioning by committee members, Gagdi asked Collins whether the N400 million he paid amounted to a bribe.
The businessman rejected the suggestion.
He maintained that he did not consider the payment a bribe but believed it was a condition imposed by Adeyemi to facilitate the award and mobilisation of the contract.
Lawmakers also questioned him on whether he followed the due procurement process before accepting the purported contract.
Collins admitted that he did not.
In a further appeal, he urged the committee to work with the police and other investigating agencies to ensure those responsible were brought to justice.
“I was invited by the Cybercrime office, and he admitted collecting the N400 million. I just want the committee to assist in ensuring justice is done,” he said.
Gagdi also asked whether Collins had converted the N400 million into foreign currency before making the payments.
The witness answered in the negative.
Following the testimony, members of the committee expressed concern over how the alleged fake agency came to possess official Federal Government vehicles and registration plates.
The lawmakers noted that the official vehicles and government number plates were among the factors that convinced Collins that PFIPC was a legitimate government agency.
Consequently, the committee summoned FRSC Corps Marshal Shehu Mohammed to appear tomorrow to explain the procedure for issuing official Federal Government number plates and clarify how the vehicles allegedly used by the fake agency obtained government registration numbers.
He added that the committee would conclude its public hearing this week before presenting aspects of its findings to the public ahead of the House’s resumption, when its final report would be formally considered.
(Ripples)