Prominent human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has cautioned the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, against any plans to seal embassies and foreign missions in Abuja over unpaid ground rents, warning that such actions would breach international law.
Falana made the remarks during an interview on Politics Today, a programme aired on Channels Television, on Monday. He emphasized that international conventions and Nigeria’s constitution prohibit the invasion or sealing of diplomatic premises.
“Embassies and missions cannot be sealed off because they haven’t paid ground rent. In fact, not all of them are even liable to pay,” Falana stated.
His comments follow the FCT Administration’s publication of a list of 9,000 alleged ground rent defaulters, including 34 embassies. The FCTA has threatened to repossess affected properties, some of which reportedly have not paid rent for between 10 and 43 years.
On May 23, 2025, the FCTA announced plans to seal about 5,000 such properties. Notably, the headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party was among those already affected. In response to the growing concerns, President Bola Tinubu intervened and granted a 14-day grace period for debtors to settle their obligations. That grace period expired on Friday, June 6, 2025 — a day that coincided with the Eid-el-Kabir holiday. Enforcement is expected to resume after the holiday, possibly starting Tuesday, June 10.
Falana stressed that sealing properties without court orders violates established legal precedents in Nigeria.
“Under Article 22 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, embassy premises are inviolable. Any invasion or sealing of an embassy can lead to serious diplomatic consequences for Nigeria,” he warned.
He also criticized the legal foundation of the FCT minister’s directive, describing it as unconstitutional.
“A minister cannot unilaterally order a property to be sealed. Section 36 of the Nigerian Constitution and Article 7 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights guarantee the right to a fair hearing,” he noted. “This means you must allow the alleged defaulter an opportunity to respond before taking action.”
Falana called on the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, and the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, to step in and advise Wike appropriately.
“I expect the Minister of Foreign Affairs to intervene, and the Attorney General to weigh in as well,” he said.
While acknowledging that ground rent arrears are a valid concern, Falana insisted that the rule of law must guide any enforcement action.
“Yes, people owe money — that’s unfortunate — but the government must follow due process. If you want to recover ground rent, go to court,” he advised.
He further recommended that disputes be addressed through the Urban and Regional Planning Tribunal in Abuja, a five-member panel authorized to adjudicate such matters.
“Anyone facing threats of demolition or property sealing should seek redress in court. We are in a democracy,” he concluded.
