The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Bola Tinubu to take action and prevent what it refers to as a “purported threat” made by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, regarding the potential closure of 34 foreign embassies in Abuja due to unpaid ground rents.
In a statement posted on its official 𝕏 handle on Monday, June 9, SERAP cautioned that such a move would contravene international law and diplomatic protocols.
SERAP cited Article 22 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which ensures the inviolability of diplomatic missions and forbids their premises from being subjected to search, requisition, attachment, or execution.
“President Tinubu should urgently caution and direct the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to immediately withdraw the threat to close down 34 embassies in Abuja.
“Article 22, paragraph 1, of the Vienna Convention states that ‘[t]he premises of the mission shall be inviolable’
“Article 22, paragraph 3, sets out that ‘[t]he premises of the mission, their furnishings and other property thereon and the means of transport of the mission shall be immune from search, requisition, attachment or execution’,” the group stated.
Naijaonpoint reports that the controversy arises from recent disclosures by the Federal Capital Territory Administration indicating that at least 34 embassies in Abuja have outstanding ground rents dating back to 2014.
The total debt owed by these missions exceeds ₦3.66 million.
Among the embassies identified as defaulters are those from Ghana, Thailand, Côte d’Ivoire, Russia, the Philippines, the Netherlands, Turkey, Guinea, Ireland, Uganda, Iraq, Zambia, Tanzania, Germany, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Venezuela, Korea, Trinidad and Tobago, Egypt, Chad, India, Sudan, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Indonesia, the European Union, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, China, South Africa, and Equatorial Guinea.
Some debts are as minimal as ₦150, while others surpass ₦1 million, including the Zambia High Commission (₦1,189,990), Indonesia’s Defence Attaché (₦1,718,211), and China’s Economic and Commercial Counsellor’s Office (₦12,000).
FCT Minister Wike, in a directive issued on May 26, mandated enforcement actions on 4,794 properties with unpaid rents ranging from 10 to 43 years.
This directive also encompassed embassies that had similarly defaulted. However, in response to public outcry and the sensitivity of diplomatic relations, Tinubu intervened, providing a 14-day grace period that concludes on Monday (Today).
The FCTA’s Director of Land, Chijioke Nwankwoeze, indicated that embassies and other defaulters would be subject to penalty fees of ₦2 million or ₦3 million, depending on the location of their properties.
While SERAP recognised the significance of revenue collection, it stressed that such actions must not violate diplomatic protocols or international agreements.