Renowned human rights lawyer Femi Falana has strongly criticized the embassies’ closure threat set by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).
Falana, who spoke during an interview with Channels TV, said the proposed plan to shut down foreign embassies over alleged unpaid ground rent is a “clear Vienna Convention violation.”
The legal luminary argued that if FCTA goes ahead with its embassies’ closure threat, the Nigerian government will contravene international diplomatic law, specifically the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961, which protects embassy premises from local interference.
Pan-Atlantic Kompass reports that the Vienna Convention, a cornerstone of international diplomacy, ensures that diplomatic missions operate without harassment or coercion from host governments.
Falana pointed out that Nigeria, as a signatory to the treaty, is legally bound to respect these provisions.
He urged the FCTA to pursue legal remedies in court rather than resorting to property seizures, warning that invading diplomatic missions could strain Nigeria’s international relations.
He asserted: “Embassies and missions cannot be invaded because they have not paid ground rent, which is not applicable for all of them.
“As far as the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations is concerned, the premises of any embassy in Abuja are inviolable by Article 22 of the convention.
“If we embark on invading the embassy of any country, it’s going to lead to serious diplomatic problems for Nigeria. So, it is not allowed.
“The minister cannot order that a house be sealed because the right to a fair hearing is guaranteed by Section 36 of the Constitution and Article 7 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights Act. What this implies is that before you can take action against me, you must give me the right to make a representation.”
Pan-Atlantic Kompass reports that Falana’s remarks come in response to a recent publication issued by the FCTA, led by Minister Nyesom Wike, where the embassies’ closure threat was unveiled.
The publication unveiled a list of 9,000 property owners — including 34 embassies — said to be in default of ground rent payments, with a threat of repossessing the affected lands.
On May 23, 2025, the FCTA announced it would begin sealing approximately 5,000 properties over unpaid ground rents spanning 10 and 43 years.
Some properties, including the national secretariat of the People’s Democratic Party, were already affected.
President Bola Tinubu later intervened, granting a 14-day grace period to defaulters to settle their debts and associated penalties.
