…Ghanaian investors allege harassment, seek N200m in damages
The Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an interim order restraining the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and other security operatives from taking any further actions related to the ownership dispute surrounding the River Park Estate in the Federal Capital Territory.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu granted the order while ruling on a motion filed by the developers of the estate—JonahCapital Ltd, Houses for Africa Ltd, and their executives—who claim to have been subjected to repeated harassment despite previous investigations into the matter.
The order also applies to the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, Ajao Saka Adewale; DCP Akin Fakorede, Head of the IGP Monitoring Unit; FCT EFCC Zonal Commander, Michael Wetkas; EFCC investigator, Eunice Vou Dalyop; and one Kabiru Baba.
Justice Egwuatu warned all involved parties against taking steps that could undermine the authority of the court, and adjourned the matter until June 26 for the commencement of hearing.
The plaintiffs, led by Ghanaian businessmen Samuel Esson Jonah, Kojo Ansah Mensah, Victor Quainoo, and represented by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Adedayo Adedeji, filed a fundamental rights enforcement suit (marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1130/2025) seeking protection from what they described as continuous harassment by the Nigerian police and the EFCC.
They alleged that despite a comprehensive investigation into the land dispute by a Special Investigation Panel (SIP) established by the IGP, new petitions were filed to re-open the matter. One such petition came from Paulo Homes Limited on April 10, repeating previously addressed allegations.
The investors said that multiple requests—dated March 20 and April 16—were made to the police authorities to release the SIP’s findings, but these were ignored. Instead, DCP Fakorede reportedly launched a fresh investigation and began summoning and allegedly intimidating the Ghanaian investors.
Further compounding the issue, the EFCC allegedly detained Kojo Ansah Mensah, CEO of JonahCapital and Houses for Africa Nigeria, for several days under what the investors claim was a duplicated investigation based on the same issues.
In response, the businessmen petitioned the Police Service Commission and the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, calling for intervention in what they described as a misuse of law enforcement powers.
They are now seeking a perpetual injunction barring the police and EFCC from inviting, detaining, or harassing them over agreements signed in 2012, which form the basis of the dispute. In addition, they are asking the court to compel the release of the original SIP report and are demanding N200 million in damages for the alleged rights violations.
The case continues on June 26.
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