Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has told the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to avoid diplomatic problems by not sealing 34 embassies and foreign missions over ground rents.
Falana made the appeal to the former Rivers State governor when he appeared on a Channels Television programme: “Politics Today,” on Monday.
“Embassies and missions cannot be invaded because they have not paid ground rent, which is not applicable for all of them,” he told his interviewer.
The FCT Administration announced on May 23, 2025 that it would take possession of about 5,000 affected properties owing ground rents between 10 years and 43 years.
President Bola Tinubu granted the defaulters a 14-day grace period to settle their outstanding payments and penalties.
The grace period elapsed on June 6, 2025.
Falana argued that there are about 20 high court, appeal court, and Supreme Court decisions that ruled that the FCT authorities have no right to unilaterally seal up any property within the nation’s capital.
The senior lawyer said: “As far as the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations is concerned, the premises of any embassy in Abuja are inviolable by Article 22 of the convention.
“If we embark on invading the embassy of any country, it’s going to lead to serious diplomatic problems for Nigeria.
“So, it is not allowed.
“The minister cannot order that a house be sealed up because the right to a fair hearing is guaranteed by Section 36 of the Constitution and Article 7 of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights Act.
“What this implies is that before you can take action against me, you must give me the right to make a representation.
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“I expect the Minister of Foreign Affairs to have intervened.
“I also expect the Attorney General of the Federation to intervene.
“The rule of law must be allowed to operate.
“Yes, people are owing.
“Too bad.
“But if you want to collect your money, you must go to court.
“There is a tribunal in Abuja: Urban and Regional Planning Tribunal, constituted by five members from the building industry.
“That is the body that has the final say on demolition and attempts to seal up properties.
“In other words, anybody who is aggrieved by the threat to seal up a property is advised to go to court.
“We are operating a democracy.”
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