Serap warns President Tinubu that shutting 34 embassies in Abuja would violate international law and calls for immediate withdrawal of the threat.
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) Nigeria has urged President Bola Tinubu to direct the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to withdraw his threat to shut down 34 foreign embassies in Abuja over unpaid ground rents.
This follows revelations by the FCTA that 34 embassies owe rent dating back as far as 2014. Among them are embassies from Ghana, Russia, India, China, and the European Union.
In a statement on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, SERAP warned that such actions would violate international law and diplomatic conventions.
“President Tinubu should urgently caution and direct the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to immediately withdraw the threat to close down 34 embassies in Abuja,” SERAP said.
The group cited Article 22 of the Vienna Convention, which protects embassy premises from closure and seizure.
Wike had ordered enforcement action on 4,794 properties with unpaid rents, with penalties ranging between N2 million and N3 million, depending on location.