The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has dismissed reports that the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, was arrested over the ongoing investigation into the alleged Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), clarifying that he only honoured an invitation from investigators.
The anti-graft agency made the clarification in a statement issued on Tuesday following reports that Gbajabiamila visited its headquarters in Abuja on Monday in connection with the investigation into the purported agency.
According to the commission, the Chief of Staff voluntarily appeared before investigators to provide a statement and was neither detained nor arrested.
“The Commission confirms that the Chief of Staff’s visit was on the invitation of its investigators and consistent with its ongoing efforts to gather all relevant facts in the matter.
“He was not arrested; he simply willingly honoured an invitation,” the statement read.
The ICPC said President Bola Tinubu directed it to investigate the circumstances surrounding the operations of the purported PFIPC, which allegedly operated from the Federal Secretariat in Abuja for about two years under Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, who presented himself as the council’s Director-General.
The commission stated that Gbajabiamila arrived at its headquarters on Monday, responded to investigators’ questions and left after making his statement.
“The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission confirms that the Chief of Staff to the President, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, was at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja on Monday, July 20, 2026, to give a statement in connection with the ongoing investigation into the circumstances surrounding the purported Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council,” the agency said.
It added that investigations into the alleged fake agency were ongoing and that further updates would be provided as necessary.
The controversy has also attracted the attention of the House of Representatives, which is conducting a separate investigation into how the purported council allegedly secured office space, budgetary allocations and official documentation.
During a public hearing on Monday, the Central Bank of Nigeria disclosed that it opened two foreign currency domiciliary accounts for the alleged agency following a mandate from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.
Speaking before the House Ad-hoc Committee investigating the matter, the Director of the CBN Banking Services Department, Hamisu Ibrahim, said the accounts, one in US dollars and the other in British pounds sterling, were opened after the apex bank received an official mandate dated July 29, 2025.
He explained that the CBN followed its standard verification process before opening the accounts, stressing that the instruction originated from the Office of the Accountant-General.
Ibrahim, however, told lawmakers that the accounts were never activated because no individual came forward to complete the activation process.
Meanwhile, Adeyemi, who allegedly presented himself as the Director-General of the purported council, has been arrested and is currently facing prosecution over the matter.