Prominent human rights lawyer Femi Falana has issued a stern warning to Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike against sealing foreign embassies over unpaid ground rent, cautioning that such action would trigger serious diplomatic problems for Nigeria and violate international law.
The warning comes as the 14-day grace period granted by President Bola Tinubu to property owners owing ground rent expired on Friday, June 6, 2025, raising fears that enforcement actions against diplomatic missions could commence following the Eid celebrations.
The FCT Administration announced on May 23, 2025, that it would take possession of about 5,000 affected properties owing ground rents between 10 and 43 years, with foreign missions reportedly owing over ₦3.6 billion in accumulated debts spanning decades.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today program, Falana emphasized that sealing embassies would contravene the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which guarantees the inviolability of diplomatic premises.
“The threat is contrary to Article 22 of the Vienna Convention,” the senior advocate stated, echoing concerns raised by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), which has urged President Tinubu to intervene and prevent the FCT minister from carrying out the controversial plan.
The diplomatic row has intensified following Wike’s publication of a list naming 34 embassies as defaulters, including missions from Russia, Germany, Turkey, Ghana, South Korea, South Africa, and other nations. However, several embassies have disputed their inclusion on the list, with the Russian Embassy maintaining it has fully paid its dues and possesses valid documentation as proof.
Officials from the Turkish and German embassies have also denied receiving formal notices and suggested their inclusion might be a bureaucratic error, highlighting potential administrative lapses in the FCT’s debt recovery process.
The enforcement drive has already seen the sealing of high-profile properties, including the national secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), before President Tinubu’s intervention provided temporary reprieve through the grace period.
SERAP contends that Wike’s approach threatens Nigeria’s international reputation and breaches established legal protections under global conventions, warning that diplomatic fallout could damage the country’s foreign relations.
Legal and diplomatic experts have cautioned that taking enforcement action against embassies without adequate consultation could lead to serious consequences, potentially affecting Nigeria’s international standing and bilateral relationships with affected countries.
While some institutions, including the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), have reportedly settled their debts following the public notice, the standoff with foreign missions remains unresolved.
The FCT Administration’s Director of Land, Chijioke Nwankwoeze, has indicated that penalty fees ranging from ₦2 million to ₦3 million have been imposed based on property locations, adding to the overall debt burden.
As enforcement activities are expected to resume following the conclusion of Eid celebrations, diplomatic circles are watching closely to see whether the Tinubu administration will heed legal warnings or allow the FCT minister to proceed with the controversial sealing of embassy properties.
The situation represents a significant test of Nigeria’s commitment to international diplomatic protocols and could set a precedent for how the country balances domestic revenue generation with its obligations under international law.
