By Paul Dada
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the purported threat by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to shut down 34 foreign embassies in Abuja over unpaid ground rents.
According to SERAP, such action would violate international law and diplomatic conventions. The group referenced Article 22 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which guarantees the inviolability of diplomatic missions and prohibits their premises from being subject to search, requisition, attachment, or execution.
The controversy stems from recent revelations that at least 34 embassies in Abuja owe ground rents dating as far back as 2014, with the total amount owed standing at over N3.66 million. Some of the embassies listed as defaulters include those of Ghana, Thailand, Côte d’Ivoire, Russia, and China.
SERAP emphasized that while revenue collection is important, such measures must not contravene diplomatic protocols or international agreements. The group urged President Tinubu to caution and direct the FCT Minister to immediately withdraw the threat to close down the embassies.
The FCT Administration had previously granted a 14-day grace period to the embassies, which expires on Monday. The administration had also stated that defaulters would be liable to pay penalty fees of N2 million or N3 million, depending on the location of their properties.
Here are the 34 embassies affected by the unpaid ground rents:
– High Commissions:
– Ghana High Commission Defence Section: N5,950
– Zambia High Commission: N1,189,990
– Tanzania High Commission: N6,000
– India High Commission: N150
– South African High Commission: N4,950
– Kenya High Commission: N5,950
– Uganda High Commission: N5,950
– Zimbabwe High Commission: N500
– Embassies:
– Thailand Embassy: N5,350
– Côte d’Ivoire Embassy: N5,500
– Russia Embassy: N1,100 (disputed)
– Philippines Embassy: N5,950
– Turkey Embassy: N3,350 (questioning the debt)
– Guinea Embassy: N5,950
– Ireland Embassy: N500
– Iraq Embassy: N550
– Germany Embassy: N1,000 (also disputed)
– Democratic Republic of Congo Embassy: N5,950
– Venezuela Embassy: N459,055
– Korea Embassy: N5,950
– Trinidad and Tobago High Commission: N500
– Egypt Embassy: N5,950
– Chad Embassy: N5,950
– Sierra Leone Embassy: N5,900 (unaware of the debt)
– Sudan Embassy: N5,950
– Niger Republic Embassy: N500
– Ethiopia Embassy: N5,950
– Other Missions:
– Indonesia Defence Attaché: N1,718,211
– Delegation of the European Union: N1,500
– Switzerland Embassy: N5,950
– Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia: N5,950
– China’s Economic and Commercial Counselor’s Office: N12,000
– Government of Equatorial Guinea: N1,137,240
– Netherlands Embassy: N5,950¹
