By Rukevwe Odeh

The call for independent investigation have intensified over the controversy surrounding the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), with opposition figures, civil society organisations, anti-corruption advocates and media stakeholders urging the Federal Government to ensure transparency and accountability.

The controversy centres on claims that the supposed council operated within government circles, allegedly secured office accommodation, maintained accounts with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and appeared in the 2026 federal budget despite the Presidency insisting that the body does not exist. The allegations have also drawn attention to claims linking the appointment of the council’s leadership to the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar described the controversy as another indication of recurring governance concerns under President Bola Tinubu’s administration. In a statement issued through his spokesman, Atiku argued that repeated controversies involving government institutions have created a pattern that deserves serious public scrutiny.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) also criticised the government’s handling of the matter, saying the Presidency’s explanation raised fresh questions about the effectiveness of public institutions. According to the party, if the official account is accurate, it would suggest major weaknesses within government systems that allowed an individual to allegedly establish and operate a non-existent agency without early detection.

Anti-corruption organisations, including Human and Environmental Development Agenda and Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, have demanded a comprehensive inquiry into how more than ₦1.3 billion was reportedly allocated to the PFIPC in the 2026 Appropriation Act. The groups insisted that Nigerians deserve a full explanation of how such a budgetary provision was processed if the council officially does not exist.

Both organisations urged authorities to release documents relating to the budget allocation and identify officials responsible for proposing, reviewing and approving the expenditure. They argued that public confidence in government depends on openness and proper management of public funds.

By Rukevwe Odeh

The controversy surrounding the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) has taken another turn after the father of Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi claimed that security operatives raided his residence three times while searching for his son.

In an interview with BBC Yoruba, the elderly man recounted that the first group of operatives allegedly entered his compound by cutting through the barbed-wire fence before carrying out an extensive search of the house. According to him, the officers inspected several parts of the building, including cupboards, in an effort to locate Adeyemi.

He said the operatives later returned the same day before making another visit the following night. During one of the visits, he was reportedly taken to a police station after informing the officers that he did not know his son’s whereabouts.

The father maintained that he was never informed of the specific offence his son was alleged to have committed. He insisted that Adeyemi had always been peaceful and law-abiding, rejecting claims linking him to criminal activities.

According to him, he only knew his son worked in Abuja and had no knowledge of the details of his official engagements. He added that Adeyemi had briefly visited the family home about a week earlier before returning to Abuja the following day.

The latest development comes amid an ongoing investigation into the alleged ₦1.3 billion budget allocation to the PFIPC, an agency at the centre of a forgery and impersonation case. Adeyemi, who claims to have headed the council, is facing charges before the Federal High Court in Abuja, while the Federal Government has listed several witnesses, including the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, in the prosecution’s case.

Reacting to the reported treatment of Adeyemi’s father, human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN), who represents the defendant, criticised the police action. He argued that Nigerian law does not permit the arrest or detention of relatives in place of a suspect, describing such conduct as inconsistent with constitutional and statutory provisions.

By Rukevwe Odeh

The Benue State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of a 23-year-old man in connection with the killing of a university lecturer and his younger brother in Makurdi, the state capital.

The suspect, identified as Abdullahi Usman from Awe Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, was apprehended following investigations into the deaths of Professor Gabriel Saawua Nyityo of the Department of History at Rev. Fr. Moses Orshio Adasu University, Makurdi, and his 19-year-old brother, John Nyityo.

According to the Police Public Relations Officer in Benue State, DSP Udeme Edet, officers attached to the ‘D’ Division responded to a distress call from the Adaka area of Makurdi, where they discovered the bodies of the two victims.

Police said preliminary findings indicate that the brothers were attacked by armed assailants who fled before security personnel arrived at the scene. Intelligence gathered during the investigation later led to the arrest of the suspect.

Edet stated that investigations are ongoing and efforts have been intensified to track down other individuals believed to have participated in the attack. She assured residents that the command remains committed to uncovering the circumstances surrounding the incident and ensuring everyone connected to the crime is brought to justice.

The killing of Professor Nyityo has sparked concern within the academic community and among residents of Benue State, with many calling for a thorough investigation into the tragic incident.

Authorities have yet to establish the motive behind the attack as detectives continue their inquiries.