Fresh controversy has emerged over the House of Representatives’ investigation into the alleged operations of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), as the family of the purported Director-General, Adeniyi Adeyemi, alleged that lawmakers attempted to interrogate him in police custody without the presence of his legal team.
Adeyemi’s brother, Peter Adeyemi, told Punch on Thursday that members of the House Ad-hoc Committee visited the facility where the embattled suspect is being detained but were unable to obtain his statement after he insisted on the presence of his lawyers.
According to him, Adeyemi declined to answer questions, maintaining that he would only participate in the inquiry with legal representation.
“The Reps committee came to interrogate him, but he refused because none of his lawyers was present. They are still trying to make him speak without his legal representatives, and we believe the right thing should be done,” Peter said.
He added that the family was not opposed to the parliamentary investigation but wanted Adeyemi to be allowed to defend himself publicly, just as the allegations against him were made in open hearings.
“He has always maintained that he is ready to answer questions. His position is that he should be allowed to respond in the same public manner in which others made allegations against him,” he added.
The latest development follows Wednesday’s statement by Adeyemi’s lawyer, Ademola Oyedokun, rejecting the House committee’s decision to question his client at an undisclosed location while he remains in police custody.
The lawyer argued that the planned closed-door session would deny Adeyemi the opportunity to publicly respond to allegations already canvassed during the committee’s proceedings.
Earlier this week, Chairman of the House Ad-hoc Committee, Yusuf Gagdi, said the panel would interview Adeyemi at a location outside the National Assembly to avoid interfering with ongoing investigations by the Nigeria Police Force, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
Gagdi explained that the committee had been informed that Adeyemi remained in police custody pursuant to a court order, adding that lawmakers could not act in a manner that would conflict with judicial proceedings.
The committee is investigating allegations surrounding the establishment and operations of the PFIPC, including claims of impersonation, forgery, financial misconduct, and the alleged unlawful use of government facilities and official insignia.
Neither the House committee nor the Nigeria Police Force had responded to the family’s latest allegations as of the time of filing this report.
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