TDA wave of public skepticism has greeted a viral social media post by Paul Ibe, media adviser to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, in which he sarcastically questioned the Federal Government’s account of the controversy surrounding Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi and the disputed Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC).
In the widely circulated commentary, Ibe listed what he described as contradictions in the official narrative that Adeyemi allegedly operated a fictitious federal agency using forged appointment documents.
His post drew attention to several reported activities carried out under the PFIPC, arguing that they appeared too extensive to have escaped the notice of senior government institutions.
Among the issues raised were reports that the PFIPC received a ₦1.3 billion allocation in the 2026 budget, operated from offices within the Federal Secretariat, maintained Central Bank of Nigeria accounts, and had an official government website.
Ibe also referenced Adeyemi’s reported meetings with senior officials, including the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), as well as his participation in official foreign trips alongside Vice President Kashim Shettima’s delegation.
Using sarcasm throughout his post, Ibe questioned how a supposedly fake agency could have secured such levels of official recognition and institutional support.
He further recalled Adeyemi’s previous appointment as Senior Special Assistant to Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, noting that he reportedly served for about six months before being dismissed over allegations of forged academic credentials.
According to Ibe, the EFCC had investigated the matter following a petition by the Osun State Government and reportedly recovered approximately ₦180 million allegedly linked to the case.
Ibe questioned why the same EFCC leadership was later seen hosting Adeyemi in its office if the allegations against him had already been established.
The post also highlighted reports that Adeyemi was provided with six police officers and two Department of State Services (DSS) operatives as security personnel, while official vehicles assigned to him reportedly carried Federal Government Presidency registration plates.
Further questions were raised over reports that three Level 17 federal civil servants, equivalent to director-level officers, had been deployed to the PFIPC, while approval was allegedly granted for the establishment of offices in all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, including accommodation within Federal Secretariat complexes.
Ibe equally questioned reports that both chambers of the National Assembly nominated representatives for some of Adeyemi’s foreign engagements, asking how multiple government institutions could later claim to have had no knowledge of the agency’s existence.
His remarks appeared to challenge statements reportedly made by officials within the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the DSS, the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Budget Office, and other government agencies distancing themselves from the PFIPC following President Bola Tinubu’s directive for a comprehensive investigation into the matter.
The commentary quickly generated widespread reactions across social media, with many Nigerians expressing disbelief over the circumstances surrounding the case.
Several users argued that the existence of an official government website and reports of a “.gov” domain suggested a level of institutional approval that would be difficult for a private individual to obtain independently.
Others described the controversy as evidence of deeper governance failures rather than the actions of a lone impersonator.
Some commenters claimed Adeyemi may have been used as a “pawn” within a broader system, while others questioned how an agency allegedly operating since the previous administration could suddenly be declared fictitious.
The discussion also attracted criticism of government institutions, with some users arguing that if the reported facts were accurate, the affair represented a significant failure of oversight across multiple agencies.
Others called for greater transparency and accountability, insisting that the ongoing investigation should establish how official approvals, security details, office allocations, and budgetary provisions were allegedly granted.
While the Federal Government has maintained that Adeyemi’s appointment documents were forged and that the PFIPC was not a legally established agency, the controversy continues to generate intense public debate, with many Nigerians demanding clearer explanations regarding the apparent involvement of numerous public institutions before the alleged fraud came to light.
Nigerians React with Furious Skepticism and Sarcasm to Viral Post
Social media erupted with pointed reactions following the widely shared post by Paul Ibe that listed a series of alleged irregularities surrounding Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi and the disputed Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, questioning official claims of a lone operator.
Many users expressed disbelief at how the purported fake agency secured high-level access.
One commenter highlighted the agency’s dot-gov domain and official website, noting that “anybody in tech knows how this goes” and declaring Nigeria a “global laughing stock.”
Others echoed the post’s sarcasm, with remarks like “Nigeria is not only a joke but series of jokes” and “They are all criminals.”
Several responses portrayed Adeyemi as part of a larger system rather than an isolated fraudster.
“Adeyemi was a pawn,” one user stated.
Another observed, “They had to get him arrested and seize all the evidence first before these revelations began to surface…
“When the state is guilty, it takes a very strong fighter to win even if he is innocent.
“His only offense was getting caught.”
Questions arose about prior operations: “How can an Agency that was operating during Buhari’s era be fake?”
Criticism targeted government institutions and the current administration.
Replies accused officials of deception, with one user stating the affair “has exposed how shallow Tinubu is” and questioning appointments based on ethnicity rather than merit.
Another demanded accountability: “The fact that a fake agency went through all these processes without getting flagged is a big indictment…
In a serious country, resignations and firing of those incompetent officials should have been the response.”
Additional comments focused on complicity across agencies, from security details with FGN plates and state-level office approvals to involvement of NASS, EFCC, and senior civil servants.
Users described the situation as “deep” and lamented, “We Are Finished,” while one simply concluded, “Mogbe” (an expression of shock).
Overall, the post and thread fueled widespread public frustration, portraying the scandal as symptomatic of deeper governance failures rather than an individual con.
Engagement remains high, with Nigerians using humor, emojis, and direct challenges to official narratives.
