The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has been urged to investigate alleged fraud and impersonation involving a claim of $300 million in investment in the River Park Estate dispute, and to determine whether documents placed before an international arbitral tribunal in support of that claim are genuine.
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The petition, signed by Oluwabunmi Adebiyi, Esq., of Blue-Gate Solicitors & Attorneys, who identified himself as solicitor for Jonah Capital Nigeria Limited and Paulo Homes Limited.
The petition comes days after the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, confirmed that the long-running dispute over the development of River Park Estate in Lugbe, Abuja, has entered international arbitration, with the Ghanaian faction of Jonah Capital Nigeria Limited challenging the Federal Capital Development Authority’s termination of its development rights over the land.
The Minister said he would await the outcome of proceedings at the International Chamber of Commerce in Paris, which turn on the FCDA’s decision to terminate the Development Lease Agreement for Plot 4, Cadastral Zone E30, Lugbe West, Abuja, on 5 November 2025.
The solicitor, who identified Adeniran Ogunmuyiwa as the founder of Jonah Capital, called on the Commission to investigate the Ghanaian faction and to compel the production of documents establishing the alleged investment, together with proof of any acquisition, development or financing of the project.
“The circumstances are particularly grave because the acts complained of have now extended beyond the internal affairs of JonahCapital Nigeria Limited and have culminated in representations allegedly being made in arbitral proceedings before the International Chamber of Commerce, where Samuel Esson Jonah is reportedly asserting, amongst other things, that he invested in excess of $300,000,000.00 (Three Hundred Million United States Dollars) in the River Park Project,” the lawyer stated.
The petition states that his clients maintain the claims advanced in the arbitration are false and form part of a deliberate scheme “to create a fictitious history of ownership, investment and entitlement to the project.”
The object of that scheme, according to the petition, is the securing of an arbitral award or other legal recognition capable of conferring substantial proprietary and financial benefits on persons said to have no legitimate entitlement, “to the potential prejudice of our Clients and the interests of the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
On the history of the shareholding, the solicitor acknowledged that Jonah was admitted as a shareholder of JonahCapital on the understanding that he would contribute capital towards the development of the project.
“He, however, failed to provide the capital he had undertaken to contribute and was consequently removed as a shareholder in or about 2008,” the petition states. “It is material to state that Jonah was never appointed a director of JonahCapital and therefore had no lawful authority at any material time to hold himself out as a director or exercise the powers of a director of the company.”
The petition states that following the failure to provide the anticipated financing, Mr Paul Odili of Paulo Homes Limited was approved, and thereafter committed substantial financial resources to the development of the estate.
“Paulo Homes Limited financed and undertook, amongst other things, the settlement of indigenous settlers, the construction and provision of primary infrastructure, including access roads, water reticulation and other essential infrastructure, with the financial commitment running into billions of naira, and Samuel Jonah’s claim of the same is nothing but fraudulent,” the lawyer stated.
He alleged that JonahCapital Nigeria Limited did not invest or fund anything in River Park Estate or in the River Park Project.
The solicitor urged the Commission to investigate the role of Kojo Mensah, the relationship between him and Samuel Esson Jonah, the representations made by them to the ICC, and the documents relied upon in support of the alleged $300 million investment.
He further asked the Commission to determine whether any of the documents or representations submitted in the arbitral proceedings are false, fabricated, misleading, or otherwise calculated to induce the tribunal to grant relief to which the claimants are not entitled.
He called for a comprehensive investigation into the activities of Samuel Esson Jonah, Kojo Mensah and all other persons who may have participated in, facilitated or acted in concert with them in relation to the matters complained of, and for all persons found culpable to be brought to book.
The petition follows the striking out by a Federal Capital Territory High Court of a criminal charge filed against the Ghanaian investors behind JonahCapital Ltd and a Nigerian lawyer over the same dispute.
The decision was delivered by Justice Modupe Osho-Adebiyi following an application by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation. At the hearing, counsel for the Attorney-General, Aishatu Kalthungo, informed the court that she had received directives to discontinue the matter under the Attorney-General’s constitutional powers, the application being anchored on Section 174 of the 1999 Constitution, which permits the Attorney-General to terminate criminal proceedings at any stage before judgment. The court agreed and struck out the charge.
The ruling halted a prosecution initiated by the Inspector-General of Police over alleged forgery linked to share allocation in the development. The criminal case arose from allegations of forgery and the purported illegal allocation of 99 million shares connected to River Park Estate.
The defendants were three Ghanaian nationals, Mr Samuel Esson Jonah, Mr Kojo Ansah Mensah and Mr Victor Quainoo, together with a Nigerian lawyer, Mr Abu Arome, Esq. It had earlier been reported that the Attorney-General ordered a review of police actions relating to the dispute.
River Park Estate lies along Airport Road, Abuja, a corridor widely regarded as prime real estate for its commercial and residential value. Allegations of land grabbing and unlawful possession have been rising in the Federal Capital Territory, drawing the attention of law enforcement and regulatory authorities. The dispute involves both Nigerian and Ghanaian interests, which has heightened its profile.
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