Falana cautions Wike, sealing off foreign embassies violates Vienna Convention of Diplomatic Relations
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
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“In fact, if a policeman is pursuing anybody for committing any offence and the person is able to scale the fence of an embassy, the police officer can’t invade the embassy, irrespective of the offence committed.
“Embassies and missions covered by the Vienna Convention of Diplomatic Relations can’t be invaded because they have not paid ground rent.
“If we embark on invading the embassy of any country, it is going to lead to serious diplomatic problems for Nigeria” – Falana.
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Human rights activist Femi Falana SAN, has warned Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike against sealing off embassies in Abuja over non-payment of ground rent because it would cause serious embarrassment and diplomatic crisis for Nigeria.
On the orders of Wike, FCT Administration (FCTA) officials about weeks ago began sealing off some properties over failure to pay ground rent until public outcry pressured President Bola Tinubu to intervene.
Wike announced a two-week period for defaulters to pay up.
However, Falana explained on Channels Television that “No court of law can order that execution be levied on any embassy, and Nigeria is part of the international community.
“If we embark on invading the embassy of any country, it’s going to lead to a serious diplomatic crisis for Nigeria. It’s not allowed.
“In fact, if a policeman is pursuing anybody for committing any offence and the person is able to scale the fence of an embassy, the police officer can’t invade the embassy, irrespective of the offence committed.
“Embassies and missions covered by the Vienna Convention of Diplomatic Relations can’t be invaded because they have not paid ground rent.
“If we embark on invading the embassy of any country, it is going to lead to serious diplomatic problems for Nigeria.”
Stop taking arbitrary action, follow court process, Falana tells Wike
Falana also counselled Wike, himself a lawyer, to respect the rule of law in collecting ground rent from anyone else in Abuja.
Wike has published details of 9,000 ground rent debtors in newspapers and threatened to seal their buildings if they fail to pay within his stipulated timeframe.
The FCTA last month warned that it would take possession of about 5,000 properties owing ground rent for between 10 and 43 years, and began taking over such properties, including the headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Tinubu’s intervention led to a grace period of 14 days, which expired on June 6.
“The rule of law must be allowed to operate. Yes, people are owing. Too bad. But if you want to collect your money, you must go to court,” Falana advocated.
He directed Wike to the Urban and Regional Planning Tribunal in Abuja.
“That is the body that has the final say on demolition and attempts to seal up properties.
“In other words, anybody who is aggrieved by the threat to seal up a property is advised to go to court. We are operating a democracy.”
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