PFIPC Scandal: Police Questioning Of Adeyemi’s Father Unjustifiable – Falana

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) has criticised the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) over the questioning of the father of Adeniyi Adeyemi, the acclaimed Director-General of the disputed Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC).

Falana, who is representing Adeyemi, spoke on Tuesday during an interview on Arise News.

He said there was no justification for taking the elderly man to a police station.

“The reported arrest of Mr Adeyemi’s father cannot be justified under the Constitution, under the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, and under the Nigeria Police Act,” Falana said.

The senior advocate, however, said police officers in Abuja later informed him that Adeyemi’s father was not arrested but only invited to assist with investigation.

“I got a call from the police officers in Abuja this evening, where I was informed that the old man wasn’t really arrested.

“The police merely invited him to take them to a particular place as part of their investigation, and that he was asked to make a statement,” he said.

Falana added that the statement was not obtained under caution and that the elderly man was later released.

Falana maintained that if investigators needed his assistance, they could have taken his statement at home instead of taking him to a police station.

“Whichever way it is, if the police officers involved had wanted the father of Mr Adeyemi to assist them in their investigation, they should have taken his statement in his house and not in a police station.

“I do hope that this will not repeat itself,” he said.

Adeyemi is facing trial over allegations of forgery and impersonation linked to the disputed PFIPC, which the Presidency has disowned.