Police i1n south-western Nigeria have raided the family home of Adeyemi Adeniyi, the central figure in a high-profile forgery scandal involving a fictitious presidential council.

During the operation on Monday morning in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, officers arrested Mr. Adeniyi’s elderly father and a visiting family friend.

The raid was confirmed to the Punch newspaper by human rights lawyer Femi Falana, who condemned the arrests as illegal intimidation.

Mr Adeniyi is facing criminal charges over allegations that he forged documents to set up the “Presidential Fiscal and Infrastructure Projects Council”—a body the presidency insists was never legally established.

‘No Legal Basis’

Eyewitnesses told the Punch that armed police officers arrived at the family residence in four vehicles, causing panic in the neighbourhood.

While the suspect’s mother was left behind in a state of shock, neighbors confirmed that his father was driven away by the operatives.

“The father has been arrested,” Mr. Falana told the newspaper. “There is no legal basis for substituted arrests. The young man has promised to show up in court, so why arrest his father?”

Under Nigerian law, the practice of “substituted arrest”—where security agents detain a relative because a suspect is unavailable—is strictly illegal. The police have not yet released an official statement regarding the raid.

A Growing Political Scandal

The controversy has gripped Nigeria following claims that the fraudulent council had been operating under the guise of the presidency, allegedly mimicking official state institutions to secure influence and resources.

The case has also sparked a constitutional debate. Mr. Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), recently argued that the presidency has no legal authority to unilaterally clear or indict individuals in the matter, maintaining that only a court of law can determine criminal liability.

The suspect’s legal team has warned that the arrest of family members appears to be an attempt to bypass due process and pressure the suspect ahead of his next scheduled court appearance.