The human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has faulted the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) over threats to seal embassies and other properties in Abuja over unpaid ground rent, describing the move as illegal and diplomatically dangerous.
Falana, speaking on Channels Television today, during an interview, said that any attempt to close embassies violates the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which guarantees the inviolability of diplomatic premises.
According “As far as the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations is concerned, the premises of any embassy in Abuja are inviolable,” he said. “By virtue of Article 22 of that convention, the premises of an embassy, their furnishings, and even their vehicles shall be immune from such requisition, attachment, or execution. No court of law can order that execution be levied on any embassy.”
He said Nigeria, as a signatory to the Convention, must not violate international law, stressing that any such action by the FCTA could result in serious diplomatic consequences.
“If we embark on invading the embassy of any country, it’s going to lead to serious diplomatic problems for Nigeria,” Falana warned. “It is trite that embassies and missions covered by the Vienna Convention cannot be invaded because they have not paid what you call ground rent.”
Falana, 67, also criticized the sealing of properties belonging to banks, political parties, and other institutions by the FCTA without court orders. He said such actions amount to an abuse of power and a breach of the constitutional right to fair hearing.
“The minister must go to court,” Falana stated. “It’s like I’m owing you, you cannot take the law into your hands by sealing off my house. I must go to court. There are not less than 20 cases on this. High Court, Court of Appeal, and Supreme Court decisions.”
