Fake Presidential Aide Opened CBN Account Using Forged Papers, Presidency Alleges

The Presidency has alleged that Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, who claimed to be the Director-General of a non-existent Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council cum Presidential Economic Advisory Council, fraudulently opened a Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) account using forged government documents.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said police investigations revealed that Adeyemi used fake documents to deceive the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation into facilitating the opening of the account.

The Presidency, however, said investigators confirmed that no government funds were paid into the account. According to the statement, the police also discovered that Adeyemi operated 34 bank accounts, including nine allegedly opened in the names of fictitious government agencies such as the FCT Investment Promotion Agency and the Public Private Partnership (FIPA-APP).

The statement further alleged that Adeyemi forged an appointment letter, falsely presented himself as a presidential appointee, and sought a note verbale from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to enable himself and members of his team obtain United States visas.

The Presidency said the alleged fraud came to light after the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, received complaints from officials of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Council (NIPC) that another agency appeared to be performing similar functions.

Following the complaints, Gbajabiamila petitioned the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police Force on October 17, 2025, requesting an investigation into individuals allegedly forging appointment letters purportedly issued from his office.

Police arrested Adeyemi on October 27, 2025, at his office in Abuja. Searches conducted at both his office and residence in Suleja reportedly led to the recovery of several incriminating documents and other exhibits.

During interrogation, Adeyemi allegedly told investigators that one Dolapo Babatunde Tanimola helped him secure the fake appointment letter. However, police later established that Tanimola had died in a fire incident at Kachi Hotel in Abuja five days before Adeyemi’s arrest.

According to the Presidency, investigators concluded that the agency Adeyemi claimed to head never existed and that the documents recovered from him were forged.

Quoting the police investigation report, the statement said: “The act of the suspect constitutes criminal forgery, impersonation and obtaining by false pretence, thereby bringing the office of the Chief of Staff to the President and the Presidency to disrepute before the public and international community.”

Based on its findings, the Nigeria Police Force filed an eight-count charge against Adeyemi and two alleged accomplices before the Federal High Court in Abuja on November 27, 2025. The matter is scheduled for hearing on July 27.

The Presidency also dismissed Adeyemi’s recent claim that he was appointed by Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila, describing the assertion as false and inconsistent with statements he earlier made during police interrogation.

It urged politicians and members of the public to refrain from using Adeyemi’s allegations against the Chief of Staff for political purposes, stressing that the matter is already before the court and should be allowed to follow due legal process.