Protesters holding placards with inscriptions like “President Tinubu Must Sack IGP”, “Release SIP Report Now”, President Mahama Speak to Your Brother”, “Nigeria Businesses in Ghana Must Respond”, among others, trooped out in Accra, Ghana on Tuesday June 18, 2025, to challenge the alleged intimidation and harassment of their fellow Ghanaians in Nigeria.
The protesters stormed the Nigerian High Commission in Roman Ridge, Accra, The demonstrators called for the immediate removal of the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, over what they described as targeted attacks on Ghanaian businesses operating in Nigeria.
The investors claimed that their fundamental rights were being violated, alleging arbitrary arrests, repeated police invitations, and intimidation by both the police and anti-graft agency, the EFCC.
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The controversy surrounds the ownership and development of River Park Estate, a large real estate project in Abuja. Multiple petitions over the years prompted the IGP to set up a Special Investigation Panel (SIP) to examine the matter.
They also accused senior EFCC officials at the FCT Zonal Command of misconduct, specifically pointing to the arrest and prolonged interrogation of Jonah Capital’s CEO, Kojo Mensah.
They argued that the EFCC and Police are probing matters that had already been addressed in a series of legal agreements signed as far back as 2012, describing the new investigations as unjustified and oppressive.
Jonah Capital and its partners have filed a lawsuit at the Federal High Court, seeking a perpetual injunction to restrain the Nigeria Police and EFCC from further interference in the matter. They are also demanding:the immediate release of the SIP investigation report and N200 million in damages for alleged violations of their fundamental rights.
The suit, according to the plaintiffs, is not only to seek redress but also to safeguard the integrity of foreign investments in Nigeria and discourage what they describe as state-sponsored intimidation of legitimate investors.
The plaintiffs had alleged the continuous violation of their fundamental human rights in a matter concerning the estate in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
The directors of Jonah Capital Nigeria Limited and Houses for Africa, Samuel Essien Jonah, Kojo Ansah Mensah, Victor Quainoo, and their legal practitioner, Abu Arome, brought the suit seeking, among other reliefs, the sum of N200million as exemplary damages against the defendants for alleged intimidation, human rights violation.
Others joined in the suit with reference number FHC/ABJ/CS/1130/2025 before a Federal High Court, Abuja, are; the FCT Zonal Commander of the EFCC, Mr Micheal Wetkas, an EFCC investigator, Eunice Vou Dalyop, also an ACE 1; and one Kabiru Baba.
The suit arose due to several petitions over the alleged trespass and ownership of the estate, which forced the IGP to set up a Special Investigation Panel (SIP) to harmonise and investigate the petitions forwarded by different interests
The businessmen claimed that after several weeks of sitting, the panel concluded its report and forwarded same to the IGP, who in turn informed the parties through the Principal Staff Officer 1 to the IGP that the report submitted by the SIP would be sent to the Commissioner of Police, Legal to review and look out for criminal and triable offences.
According to the Ghanaian businessmen, Paulo Homes Limited subsequently wrote another petition on the 10th of April 2025 to the IGP alleging the same allegations, which had already been investigated by the SIP.
The Ghanaians also informed the court that despite different letters, such as that of March 20, 2025 and April 16, 2025, sent to IGP Egbetokun and Fakorede, for the release of the investigation report of the Special Investigation Panel conducted by an 11-member team, they have received no reply.
Instead the Head of the IG Monitoring Unit, Fakorede, allegedly commenced another investigation on the same subject matter, in a bid to alter the report of the 11-man panel of the IGP investigation panel.
The investors allege that despite purporting to be conducting a fresh investigation into the matter, Fakorede, who is a former head of Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), had continued to invite them, harass and intimidate them.
They also informed the court that, in what appears to be double jeopardy, the EFCC arrested Mr Kojo Ansah Mensah, the CEO of Jonah Capital and Houses for Africa Nigeria, and interrogated him for several days.
Consequently, the Ghanaian investors petitioned the Hashimu Argungu-led Police Service Commission, complaining against the conduct of the hierarchy of the force as well as the office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), seeking their intervention as the supervisory body for the police and the chief law officer of the federation, respectively.
Furthermore, they are contending that the FCT Commissioner of Police and the Head of the Monitoring Unit have no powers to form a Police Post on their land designated for a housing project.
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