Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, has instituted a ₦15 billion defamation suit against the fake DG of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, over allegations linking him to an alleged kickback demand involving a federal agency’s take-off grant.
In the suit, Gbajabiamila is seeking ₦10 billion in general damages, ₦5 billion in aggravated damages, ₦200 million as the cost of litigation, and a court order compelling Adeyemi to publish a full retraction and apology in five national newspapers.
He is also asking the court to direct the defendant to pin the apology on all social media platforms and online channels where the alleged defamatory statements were published for 30 days.
The suit, filed by his legal team led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Kemi Pinheiro, described Adeyemi’s allegations as false, malicious and defamatory.
According to the court documents, Adeyemi had alleged during a press conference that Gbajabiamila demanded a 48 per cent kickback from a ₦27.3 billion take-off grant approved for a federal agency. He also claimed that ₦400 million had already been paid through an alleged proxy acting on behalf of the Chief of Staff, while an additional ₦200 million was required to secure presidential approvals.
Gbajabiamila, however, denied the allegations, insisting he had never met or communicated with Adeyemi and had never authorised anyone to demand or receive money on his behalf.
The court filings also referenced Adeyemi’s claims regarding the death of one Babatunde Tanimola, whom he alleged acted as an intermediary between him and the Chief of Staff. Adeyemi further claimed he survived an assassination attempt and alleged that security agencies were instructed to halt investigations into the theft of his mobile phones.
Gbajabiamila said his lawyers had issued a cease-and-desist letter demanding a retraction and apology, but instead of withdrawing the allegations, Adeyemi granted an interview in which he reportedly admitted that he had never met the Chief of Staff and could not independently verify the identity of the person he believed to be Gbajabiamila.
According to the claimant, despite those admissions, Adeyemi repeated the allegations during a television interview on July 13, 2026.
The suit further noted that Adeyemi is already facing trial before the Federal High Court in Abuja over allegations involving forged presidential documents and forged appointment letters, which Gbajabiamila said formed the basis of the claims against him.
In his witness statement, the Chief of Staff denied demanding any kickback, receiving money through a proxy, requesting additional payments or using his office to influence security agencies or investigations.
He also denied any involvement in the death of Tanimola or any alleged attempts on Adeyemi’s life.
Gbajabiamila told the court that the allegations had caused significant damage to his reputation, generated widespread public attention and subjected him to inquiries from associates both within and outside Nigeria.
He maintained that the action was filed not only to protect his personal reputation but also to preserve the integrity of the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President.
The FCT High Court has directed Adeyemi to enter an appearance within 14 days after being served with the court processes or risk judgment being entered against him in his absence.
