The House of Representatives Ad Hoc Committee investigating the alleged operations of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) has said it will question the purported Director-General of the organisation, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, at an undisclosed location and date, citing the need to protect ongoing investigations and respect judicial processes.

Yusuf Gagdi, the committee’s chairman, disclosed this on Tuesday during the panel’s public hearing, explaining that the National Assembly would not violate an existing court order by demanding Adeyemi’s appearance before the committee while he remains in police custody.

The development came to light as Gbenga Collins, the managing director of Divine Dopacy Nigeria Limited, told lawmakers that he allegedly paid N400 million to Adeyemi after being promised a contract to renovate and furnish what was presented as the official residence of the PFIPC Director-General.

The allegation has not been established in court.

Gagdi said the committee had no intention of undermining the judiciary or ongoing investigations by law enforcement agencies.

“As an arm of government, we respect the principle of federalism and separation of powers. We respect the powers of the judiciary, the executive, and we equally limit ourselves within our own powers.

“We do not have the power as the National Assembly to vacate an existing court order and say that somebody who is in the custody of the Nigerian Police should leave the police to appear before the National Assembly.”

He explained that rather than insist on Adeyemi’s appearance at a public hearing, members of the committee would meet him privately.

“We will not announce to the general public when we will interact with Prince Adeniyi. We will not, because the ICPC are investigating this matter. EFCC are investigating this matter. Part of this matter is before the court of law and many other agencies.

“To say that we will put the suspect under direct camera and interact with him the way we are interacting with everyone here will definitely undermine the ongoing investigation by the EFCC and ICPC.”

According to Gagdi, the session would be officially recorded to ensure transparency and would take place in the presence of Adeyemi’s legal representatives, with the police duly notified.

“We will meet him on an unannounced date and at an unannounced time. We will meet him with a camera that will exonerate members of the committee on our interaction with him.

“Just as you came here with your lawyer, we will inform the police whenever we are going to meet him and, as directed by the court, it will be in the presence of his lawyers.”

He stressed that the committee’s objective was to obtain clarification from the detained suspect rather than insist on where the interaction takes place.

“Whether he appears before this committee or this committee appears before him, the most important thing is to have an interaction with him to get some things clarified. And we are going to do just that.”

Gagdi added that the public hearing would continue before the committee rounds off its work and submits its report to the House.

Meanwhile, Collins narrated how he allegedly became convinced that the PFIPC was a legitimate government agency after being invited to Abuja by Adeyemi.

The businessman said he first met Adeyemi in Ogbomoso before being invited to the Federal Capital Territory to discuss a business opportunity.

According to him, an official vehicle bearing a Federal Government registration number picked him up from the airport and conveyed him to an office at the Federal Secretariat.

“I saw police officers with him. That was my first time of coming to Abuja because I’m not familiar with Abuja very well. He sent his official car to pick me from the airport. It had a federal government registration number attached to the Lexus SUV.”

Collins told lawmakers that Adeyemi introduced himself as the Director-General of both the Presidential Economic Advisory Council and the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council.

He said the purported PFIPC boss later informed him that he had been allocated an official residence and wanted his company to undertake its renovation and furnishing.

According to Collins, Adeyemi subsequently handed him a contract award letter, scope of work and an agreement for the project, but insisted that he first pay N400 million as proof of financial capacity and to facilitate mobilisation.

“He gave me the contract award letter, the scope of work and the agreement with my company to execute the refurbishment project.”

The businessman maintained that the combination of official vehicles, security personnel, government office accommodation and official-looking documentation left him with no reason to doubt the authenticity of the agency or Adeyemi’s claims.

The House had constituted the ad hoc committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding the establishment and operations of the purported PFIPC following allegations of impersonation, forgery, financial impropriety and the unlawful use of government facilities and official insignia.

The panel is also examining how the organisation allegedly secured official recognition, office accommodation and a budgetary allocation in the 2026 Appropriation Act, amid separate investigations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and other agencies.