The controversy surrounding the alleged Presidential Fiscal and Infrastructure Projects Council (PFIPC) took a fresh twist on Monday following claims that police operatives arrested the father of Prince Adeyemi Adeniyi, the man at the centre of an ongoing forgery and impersonation case linked to the purported council.
Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, confirmed the development, alleging that officers stormed the family's residence in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, and took Adeniyi's father into custody.
According to Falana, the operation was carried out at Plot 3, Adeniyi Dynasty, behind the Technical College, Road Safety Area, Ogbomoso.
"The police have stormed the house of the parents of Prince Adeyemi Adeniyi. The father has been arrested. There is no legal basis for substituted arrests. The young man has already undertaken to appear in court, so why arrest his father?" Falana queried.
Residents of the area also claimed that several police vehicles were involved in the operation.
A neighbour, who spoke on condition of anonymity, alleged that officers arrived in four vehicles before taking the elderly man away despite attempts by residents to intervene.
"They came with four vehicles, started harassing the family and eventually took the father away. They didn't allow neighbours to interfere. There is still a man in blue clothes monitoring the area," the resident claimed.
Another eyewitness alleged that a family friend who visited the residence on Monday morning was also arrested during the operation.
According to the source, Adeniyi's elderly mother was left behind and was reportedly in a state of shock after the incident.
As of the time of filing this report, the Nigeria Police Force had not issued an official statement on the alleged arrests, and the claims could not be independently verified.
The incident comes amid the continuing investigation into the controversial PFIPC, which has attracted nationwide attention over allegations that the council was never legally constituted despite claims that it operated under the Presidency.
Adeniyi is facing criminal charges bordering on alleged forgery, impersonation and related offences in connection with the purported council. The case is currently before the court, while investigations by the police are ongoing.
Falana has repeatedly maintained that the allegations should be determined strictly through the judicial process, arguing that criminal liability can only be established by a competent court of law.
The senior advocate has also cautioned against any action that could be perceived as intimidation or interference while the matter remains before the court.
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