Prominent human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has warned the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, against sealing off embassies and foreign missions in Abuja over unpaid ground rents, stating that such actions would violate both international law and Nigeria’s constitution.
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Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, Falana maintained that embassies are protected under international law and cannot be arbitrarily targeted, even in debt recovery efforts.
“Embassies and missions cannot be invaded because they have not paid ground rent, which is not applicable for all of them,” Falana stated, referring to Article 22 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which guarantees the inviolability of diplomatic premises.
The caution comes in the wake of the FCT Administration’s intensified campaign to recover outstanding ground rents. On May 23, 2025, the Wike-led administration announced plans to seize over 5,000 properties with arrears spanning between 10 to 43 years. It also published a list of 9,000 defaulters, including embassies and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national secretariat, some of which were already sealed.
However, President Bola Tinubu had stepped in to grant a 14-day grace period for defaulters, which expired on Friday, June 6, 2025 — a public holiday. The next steps of the FCT Administration are now anticipated following the Sallah break on Tuesday, June 10.
But Falana insists that sealing properties — especially those of foreign missions — without due process is illegal and could have diplomatic repercussions.
“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,” he warned.
He further emphasized that even domestic properties cannot be sealed without fair hearing, citing at least 20 judgments from high courts, appellate courts, and the Supreme Court which declare such unilateral actions by the FCT as illegal.
“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,” Falana added.
He called on the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, and the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), to urgently intervene and advise the FCT Minister appropriately.
“I expect the Minister of Foreign Affairs to have intervened. I also expect the Attorney General of the Federation to intervene,” he said.
Falana explained that under Nigerian law, the appropriate recourse for recovering unpaid ground rents lies in the courts.
“Yes, people are owing. Too bad! But if you want to collect your money, you must go to court,” he said, pointing to the Urban and Regional Planning Tribunal in Abuja as the appropriate forum for such disputes.
“We are operating a democracy. The rule of law must be allowed to operate,” Falana concluded.
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