Femi Falana warns FCT minister against sealing embassies over unpaid ground rents
Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has issued a strong warning to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, cautioning against any attempts to seal embassies or foreign missions in Abuja over unpaid ground rents.
Speaking on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme aired Monday, Falana emphasized that such actions would violate both constitutional provisions and international laws protecting diplomatic premises.
“Embassies and missions cannot be invaded because they have not paid ground rent, which is not even applicable to all of them,” Falana stated.
His warning comes after reports that the FCT Administration under Wike had identified 9,000 property owners, including 34 embassies, as defaulters in ground rent payments and threatened to reclaim the lands.
On May 23, 2025, the FCT Administration announced plans to seal approximately 5,000 properties with outstanding rent arrears ranging from 10 to 43 years. Some buildings, such as the Peoples Democratic Party’s national secretariat, have already been affected. Following this, President Bola Tinubu intervened by granting a 14-day grace period for defaulters to settle their dues. This deadline expired on Friday, June 6 — coinciding with the Eid-el-Kabir holiday — leaving uncertainty over the FCT’s next steps, with enforcement expected to resume by Tuesday, June 10.
Falana highlighted that Nigerian courts have consistently ruled against sealing properties without due process.
“According to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, Article 22 clearly states that embassy premises in Abuja are inviolable,” he said.
“If we invade the embassy of any country, it will create serious diplomatic problems for Nigeria. So, it is not allowed.”
He questioned the legal basis for the FCT Minister’s directive, calling it a violation of Nigerian law and international obligations.
“The minister cannot order a property to be sealed without granting the right to a fair hearing, which is guaranteed under Section 36 of the Nigerian Constitution and Article 7 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights,” Falana explained. “Before taking action against anyone, there must be an opportunity to make a representation.”
Falana also called on senior government officials to intervene and restrain the FCT minister.
“I expect the Minister of Foreign Affairs to intervene, and I also expect the Attorney General of the Federation to take action,” he added.
While acknowledging the FCT’s legitimate concerns over unpaid rents, Falana stressed that enforcement must comply with the rule of law.
“The rule of law must prevail. Yes, people owe money — too bad. But if you want to collect, you must go through the courts,” he said.
“There is an Urban and Regional Planning Tribunal in Abuja, composed of five members from the building industry, which has the final authority on demolitions and property sealing. Anyone aggrieved by such threats is advised to seek legal redress. We are operating a democracy,” Falana concluded.
