SERAP Urges Tinubu to Stop Wike from Shutting Down 34 Embassies in Abuja

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project Nigeria has urged President Bola Tinubu to direct the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to withdraw the threat to shut down 34 foreign embassies in Abuja over ground rent debts.

Among the embassies listed are those of Ghana, Thailand, Equatorial Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire, Russia, Philippines, Netherlands, Turkey, Guinea, Ireland, Uganda, Iraq, Zambia, Tanzania, Germany, DR Congo, Venezuela, Korea, Trinidad and Tobago, Egypt, Chad, India, Sudan, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Indonesia, the European Union, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, China, and South Africa.

The group’s reaction followed recent revelations by the FCTA that at least 34 embassies in Abuja owe rents for as far back as 2014. SERAP, in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, warned that allowing Wike to carry out the threat would violate international law and diplomatic conventions.

BREAKING: President Tinubu should urgently caution and direct the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike to immediately withdraw the threat to close down 34 embassies in Abuja. The purported threat is contrary to the provisions of article 22 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

— SERAP (@SERAPNigeria) June 9, 2025