Nigeria: Ghanaians protest in Abuja over alleged harassment by Nigerian Agencies
By Zuleihat Owuiye, Mamos Nigeria
The investors, who are involved in the River Park Estate project in Abuja, alleged that their fundamental rights were being violated. They claimed that despite cooperating with investigations in 2012, their complaints remained unresolved, and they were being subjected to endless interrogations.
Carrying banners that read, “Hands Off Ghanaian Investors!” and “Tinubu, Mahama: Intervene Now!”, the demonstrators called for the immediate removal of Inspector General of Police, Mr. Kayode Egbetokun, whom they accused of targeted attacks on Ghanaian businesses operating in Nigeria. They demanded that President Bola Tinubu and President John Mahama use diplomatic channels to stop the alleged injustice.
The protest follows the filing of a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja, in which Jonah Capital and its co-plaintiffs named IGP Egbetokun, the Nigeria Police, and the EFCC as defendants. They are seeking a perpetual injunction restraining both agencies from further interference in the River Park Estate matter, immediate disclosure of the long-delayed Special Investigation Panel report, and N200m in damages for alleged breaches of their constitutional rights.
The plaintiffs alleged that although the Special Investigation Panel concluded its probe and reported to the IG, the findings were never furnished to the investors despite repeated formal requests. Instead, a senior officer in the IG’s Monitoring Unit allegedly unilaterally reopened the investigation to undermine the panel’s clear exoneration of the companies.
The suit aims to seek redress and safeguard the integrity of foreign investments in Nigeria, discouraging what the plaintiffs describe as state-sponsored intimidation of legitimate investors. The outcome of this case will have significant implications for foreign investors and the business environment in Nigeria.
