Speaking at the opening of the newly renovated Abuja International Conference Centre, now renamed in his honour, Tinubu openly endorsed Wike’s tough stance.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has thrown his weight behind the controversial plan by Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, to crack down on embassies, government agencies, and private entities over years of unpaid ground rents in Abuja.
Speaking at the opening of the newly renovated Abuja International Conference Centre, now renamed in his honour, Tinubu openly endorsed Wike’s tough stance.
“Our Nigeria first! I like all of you. Today, I say once again to all of you, Barka Da Sallah. You must obey what the landlord (Wike) says: if you want to use this place, you got to pay for it,” he said.
Tuesday’s inauguration, which took place in the heart of the Federal Capital Territory, was attended by top government officials, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio and other loyalists of the Tinubu administration.
Tinubu continued his praise of Wike’s leadership style, telling the former Rivers governor: “Don’t pay attention to the busybodies and bystanders, whatever they say, continue with your good work, you are a transformational leader. You have the foresight, the vision and the determination to succeed.”
The President’s endorsement of Wike’s enforcement drive comes amid rising tensions following a May 26 directive by the FCT Administration targeting 4,794 properties, including 34 foreign diplomatic missions, for non-payment of ground rent dating back up to 43 years.
According to FCTA’s Director of Land, Chijioke Nwankwoeze, the affected embassies owe the government a cumulative N3.66 billion since 2014.
Each defaulter could face penalties ranging from N2 million to N3 million, depending on their location in the capital.
While some organisations or bodies, such as the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Federal Inland Revenue Service, and the anti-human trafficking agency NAPTIP, have since cleared their debts, many others, including foreign missions, remain in default.
However, human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has warned the Tinubu administration against the impending diplomatic fallout.
The lawyer challenged the Nigerian government’s attempt to seal off the premises of 34 embassies over unpaid ground rents.
Falana contends that such a move would violate international law, citing provisions of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and Nigeria’s Diplomatic Immunities and Privileges Act of 1961.
Foreign mission representatives reportedly learned about the directive through media reports, with no formal notice issued by FCT authorities demanding payment. Falana insists that under international diplomatic agreements, embassies enjoy legal protections that prevent host governments from infringing on their premises.
Falana noted that it further obligates the Nigerian government to safeguard diplomatic premises from intrusion, damage, or any disturbance affecting their operations.
Additionally, Falana highlights that embassies are exempt from national, regional, and municipal taxes, including ground rents, as stipulated under Article 23 of the convention.
“From the foregoing, it is indisputable that by the combined effect of the provisions of articles 22 and 23 of the Vienna Convention on Foreign Relations as well as section 11 of the Diplomatic Immunities and Privileges Act, embassies are exempted from payment of taxes and rates including ground rents,” Falana said.
“To that extent, the Government of Nigeria or the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory lacks the vires to close down or seal off the premises of an embassy in Nigeria due to alleged failure to pay ground rents.”
Falana argues that even if embassies were legally required to pay ground rents, the government would need to resolve the matter through a domestic court. However, he noted that given their diplomatic immunity, any lawsuit filed to recover the funds would likely be dismissed for lack of jurisdiction.
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