Fresh controversy has erupted in the ongoing investigation into the alleged Presidential Fiscal and Infrastructure Projects Council (PFIPC) after police operatives reportedly arrested the father of the council’s embattled promoter, Prince Adeyemi Adeniyi, during a raid on the family’s residence in Ogbomoso, Oyo State.
According to a PUNCH newspaper report, the operation, carried out on Monday, has drawn criticism from human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN), who described the arrest as lacking any legal justification.
Information gathered suggested that police officers stormed the family’s residence located at Plot 3, Adeniyi Dynasty, behind Technical College in the Road Safety area of Ogbomoso.
During the operation, Adeniyi’s father and a family friend who had visited the home were allegedly taken into custody, while the suspect’s elderly mother was left traumatised.
Speaking with a PUNCH reporter, Falana condemned the action, arguing that security agencies have no legal authority to arrest relatives of a suspect in place of the person being investigated.
“The police have now 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 promised to appear in court, so why arrest his father?” the senior advocate said.
Residents of the neighbourhood also recounted the incident. One neighbour, who requested anonymity, claimed police officers arrived in four vehicles before taking Adeniyi’s father away despite attempts by residents to intervene.
“They came with four vehicles, started harassing the family and eventually took the father away. They did not allow neighbours to interfere before leaving. There is still a man in blue clothes patrolling the area,” the resident alleged.
Another eyewitness also confirmed the development, saying the elderly man was arrested alongside a visitor who had arrived at the residence earlier that morning.
“Baba was taken away with someone who came to visit them this morning. They left the mother behind, and she was in shock. We have since moved her to another location,” the witness said.
As of the time of filing this report, the police had not issued any official statement confirming the alleged operation or explaining the circumstances surrounding the reported arrests.
The incident comes amid mounting scrutiny over the alleged Presidential Fiscal and Infrastructure Projects Council, whose existence has become the subject of criminal investigations.
Authorities have alleged that the council was never legally established despite claims that it operated under the presidency.
The controversy has led to multiple criminal charges against Adeniyi, including allegations of forgery, impersonation and other related offences.
The matter has appeared before the court on several occasions while investigations by law enforcement agencies continue.
Falana has repeatedly maintained that the allegations against Adeniyi should be resolved strictly through the judicial process.
He has argued that neither the presidency nor any executive authority possesses the constitutional power to exonerate individuals facing criminal allegations, insisting that only a competent court can determine guilt or innocence.
The senior lawyer has also cautioned against any action that could be interpreted as intimidation or undue interference while the criminal proceedings remain pending before the court.
