A coordinated intelligence operation by the Nigeria Police Force ended on Tuesday with the arrest of Adeniyi Adeyemi in Osun State, bringing to an end a days-long manhunt.
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that Adeyemi failed to appear before the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday over alleged forgery, conspiracy and impersonation.
This led to an arrest against him.
The arrest came hours after Justice Mohammed Umar issued a bench warrant against Adeyemi when he failed to appear for his arraignment on an eight-count charge filed by the police. The prosecution, led by Wisdom Madaki, urged the court to order his arrest, while Adeyemi’s lawyer, Genesis Francis, argued that his client had stayed away because he feared for his life.
According to Francis, Adeyemi had written to President Bola Tinubu, alleging threats to his safety and insisting he wanted to remain alive to defend himself in court.
Responding to the argument, Justice Umar said, “The court will help him be alive,” before issuing the bench warrant and adjourning the case until September 30, 2026, for arraignment.
Police later confirmed that operatives of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) carried out the arrest in Osun State.
“We have just confirmed the arrest of Mr. Adeniyi Adeyemi by a team of the Intelligence Response Team in Osun State. Thank you,” said Aminu Koji, Personal Assistant to the Force Public Relations Officer.
Sources familiar with the operation said security agencies had monitored Adeyemi’s movements for more than a week before he was eventually arrested. He was initially tracked by operatives of the Department of State Services, but investigators temporarily lost contact after he reportedly switched off his mobile phones for two days.
The operation was later taken over by the IRT led by CSP Moses Lohor, whose team continued surveillance until Adeyemi was located and arrested on Tuesday morning.
A security source said the suspect was immediately moved out of Osun after the operation.
“The arrest took place on Tuesday morning by the IRT squad, who immediately moved him to Abuja. After he was arrested, he was taken to Ibadan and from there to Abuja,” the source said.
The Osun State Police Command also confirmed the arrest but did not provide further details.
Adeyemi was charged by the police in November 2025 alongside two other suspects identified only as Femi and Anu, who remain at large. The charges accuse them of forging official government documents, including a purported presidential appointment letter, State House letterheads and documents linked to the operation of the alleged Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council, an organisation the Presidency has repeatedly said does not exist.
The police also accused Adeyemi of falsely presenting himself as the Director-General of the organisation.
His arrest came a day after he publicly appealed to President Tinubu to guarantee his safety before surrendering to law enforcement agencies. In an open letter, he claimed he had received intelligence that his life was in danger and called for an independent investigation into the controversy surrounding the organisation.
Reacting to the development, Nigerian Bar Association President Afam Osigwe (SAN) said the court acted within the law by issuing a bench warrant after Adeyemi failed to appear.
“If he fails to attend court, the court will be right to make an order for his arrest or revoke his bail if he is already on bail,” Osigwe said.
He added that the President’s directive for the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission to carry out a fresh investigation could lead to more people being questioned if the evidence supports it.
“The law does not deal with speculation. As of today, he is the only person charged in court,” he said.
Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Prof. Sam Erugo, also criticised Adeyemi’s decision to avoid trial, saying, “Running away from trial is not the best. Running will not solve his problem.”
