Businessman tells Reps about N400m payment for fake government contract

A businessman, Gbenga Collins, on Tuesday, told the House of Representatives how he allegedly paid N400 million to Adeniyi Adeyemi. Mr Adeyemi claimed to be the director-general of a fake agency called the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC). Collins said he was promised a government contract to renovate and furnish an official residence.

Mr Collins, who is the managing director of Divine Dopacy Nigeria Limited, said he believed Adeyemi was a real government official. He based this on the fact that Adeyemi worked from an office at the Federal Secretariat in Abuja, drove cars with federal government number plates, and was surrounded by security personnel and visitors he called dignitaries.

He gave this testimony before the House Ad-hoc Committee investigating the alleged activities of the PFIPC. The committee is chaired by Yusuf Gagdi, who represents the All Progressives Congress (APC) from Plateau State.

Mr Collins said he first met Adeyemi in December 2024 at a program in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, their hometown. He said Adeyemi later invited him to Abuja in January or February 2025 to discuss a business opportunity.

According to him, an official vehicle picked him up at the Abuja airport and took him to Adeyemi’s office at the Federal Secretariat. "When I arrived at the airport, he sent an official car to come and pick me from the airport to his office at the Federal Secretariat, Abuja," he told the committee.

He described the vehicle as a Lexus SUV with a federal government registration number. Mr Collins said he met many people at the office, including security personnel. Adeyemi presented himself as the director-general of both the Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC) and the PFIPC.

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

How the alleged contract was offered

Mr Collins said Adeyemi later told him that he had been allocated an official residence as director-general and that the property needed renovation and furnishing. He claimed Adeyemi offered Divine Dopacy Nigeria Limited the contract to do the work.

He said Adeyemi personally took him to inspect the property the next day. "He told me that he wanted to do refurbishment and renovation of the official house assigned to him as the DG of that agency and asked whether I would be able to handle the contract," he said.

Mr Collins said they visited the property with several staff members and security personnel. "We went there the following day with his staff. We went with more than four, five or six vehicles with security. They opened the house and took us round, showing me what they wanted to do," he explained.

He admitted he could not remember the exact location of the property because he was unfamiliar with Abuja, but he still had photographs of the building.

N400m payment

Mr Collins said discussions about the project continued after he returned to Ogbomoso. In April 2025, Adeyemi invited him back to Abuja. He said the 'DG' then gave him a contract award letter, a scope of work, and an agreement between the fake agency and his company.

According to him, Adeyemi told him to pay N400 million to prove that he had the financial capacity to execute the project and to facilitate mobilization. "He gave me the contract award letter, the scope of work and the agreement with my company to execute the refurbishment project.

"I had to pay N400 million for the facilitation of that project to show my strength that I would be able to handle the project. At the same time, he said it would fast-track the mobilization for the contract," he said.

Mr Collins said he raised the money from business associates who trusted him. He believed he was dealing with a real federal government official after visiting Adeyemi’s office. He said the N400 million was paid in five instalments between May and July 2025.

The first N100 million was paid on 16 May 2025 into an account held by World Entrepreneurs Limited at Guaranty Trust Bank. Another N100 million was paid into the same account on 22 May, and a further N100 million on 28 May. Mr Collins said he later paid N80 million into the account on 20 June, bringing the total to N380 million.

He said he later informed Adeyemi that he could not raise any more money, as he had exhausted his resources. The remaining N20 million was eventually paid on 29 July 2025 into an Access Bank account belonging to Sunshine Confectionery and Catering Services, completing the total amount of N400 million.

"When I was paying the money, I kept telling him that I collected the money from my colleagues who were doing business with me. I was the one who told them I had gone to this man’s office, so I believed it was going to be a great opportunity for us. That was why people started giving me the money," he said.

Promised mobilisation failed to materialise

Mr Collins said Adeyemi repeatedly assured him that mobilization for the project would begin in August 2025. But after the payment, nothing happened. "When I finished the payment, he said they were going to do the mobilization by August," he said.

He said Adeyemi later blamed security concerns for the delay and promised that payment would be made in November. "I continued calling him. He kept managing me, telling me they were handling security issues and that they would pay in November," he said.

As pressure mounted from his associates who contributed the money, Mr Collins said he made several trips to Abuja to reach Adeyemi. Eventually, Adeyemi stopped answering his calls. Mr Collins then sought legal advice in Abuja.

"My lawyer was the first person who told me that I had been scammed," he told the committee.

EFCC petition

Mr Collins said his lawyer petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on 13 November 2025. He said he was formally invited to adopt the petition six days later. "The petition was written on the 13th, and I was invited to adopt it on the 19th," he said.

He explained that the EFCC began an investigation and invited people connected to the bank accounts where the money was paid. Investigators told him that Adeyemi had failed to honor invitations from the agency, allegedly citing ill health through his lawyer.

"Since then, the EFCC has been trying to invite him. I think he has been sending his lawyer. According to the Investigating Police Officer handling the case, his lawyer kept saying he would appear," he said.

Mr Collins said he had not received further information on the investigation but believed the EFCC was handling the matter.

‘I have started selling my property’

Mr Collins pleaded with the committee for help, saying the alleged transaction had left him in financial trouble and his business was suffering. "I just want to beg the chairman and the honourable members to help me talk to all the agencies involved because I have been frustrated, especially by those people who gave me the money. I have started selling my property. My business is not going well again," he said.

He said he had acted on trust because his meetings with Adeyemi made him think he was dealing with a genuine government official. "I did all this based on trust. When I went to his office, I met many dignitaries, people waiting to see him, and others with whom he was in discussions about contracts. I also did it because he is from my hometown," he said.

Reps question N400m payment

During the hearing, Mr Gagdi asked Mr Collins if the N400 million payment was a bribe to secure the supposed government contract. Mr Collins denied this, saying he paid the money because Adeyemi said it was necessary for facilitating and mobilizing the project.

Lawmakers also asked if he followed the proper public procurement process before accepting the contract. Mr Collins admitted he did not go through any procurement process before the transaction. He urged the committee to ensure justice from the security agencies investigating the matter.

"What I just have to say is to beg the committee, or to implore the committee, to please, in all their capacity, whatever they can use to assist me with the police that are investigating him. Because I was invited to the Cybercrime office. He said the same thing, that he did not deny collecting the N400 million," he said.

Mr Gagdi asked Mr Collins if he had converted any part of the N400 million into US dollars before making the payment. Mr Collins said he did not.

Reps summon FRSC Corps Marshal

After the testimony, committee members questioned how vehicles linked to the fake council got federal government registration number plates. They noted that the presence of these government number plates on the cars convinced Mr Collins that Adeyemi was running a legitimate government organization. The committee then summoned the Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) to appear on Thursday.

The Corps Marshal is expected to explain how federal government registration number plates are issued and clarify how vehicles allegedly used by the fake agency got such plates.

Why Adeyemi is not appearing before panel

Mr Gagdi explained why Adeyemi had not appeared before the committee despite earlier invitations. He said the committee had not given up on questioning him but was limited by a court order that keeps him in police custody.

"For the benefit of the general public, we are not refusing to invite Prince Adeniyi here. We have pronounced him to appear here and police have responded that he is in their custody based on the court order," Mr Gagdi said.

He added that the National Assembly would not interfere with the judiciary by trying to vacate or override a court order. "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," he said.

Mr Gagdi said the committee would still have a meeting with Adeyemi at an undisclosed date and location. He explained that this was necessary because the EFCC, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and other agencies were investigating the matter, and some issues were before the courts.

"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," he said.

He added that a public session with Adeyemi could affect ongoing investigations. He said the meeting would be recorded and held in the presence of Adeyemi’s lawyers and relevant security officials. "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," he said.

Hearing to continue

The chairman stated that the committee would continue its public hearing on Thursday and wrap up its engagements within the week. He said parts of its findings would be made public later, while the final report would be presented to the House for consideration when lawmakers return.