- …Group raises concern over threat to investors’ confidence
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Inspector General of Police (IGP) have been urged to promptly direct the probe of the circumstances leading to the alleged invasion and forceful ejection of occupants of a major property owned by the Taraba State Government in Abuja.
A group of non-governmental organisations, acting under the aegis of the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations on Human Rights, Democracy and Good Governance (CCSOHRDGG), made the request in Abuja.
Led by Ambassador Timothy Ihemadu, the group said its intervention was not to determine the competing claims over the property, but to ensure compliance with due process and the rule of law in view of the possible threat of undemocratic conduct to the nation’s quest for investments.
The group alleged that occupants of the property, located at Plot 66, 1st Avenue, off Shehu Shagari Way, Central Business District, Abuja, housing the Treasure Suites, among other businesses, were forcibly removed from the building on August 6, 2026, leading to the destruction of assets worth billions of naira.
CCSOHRDGG said it was concerned with unravelling whether or not the eviction was effected in accordance with the law and whether the constitutional rights of the affected occupants were respected.
It added, “Nigeria is a constitutional democracy. No individual, organisation, private interest or government institution should be above the law.
Where there is a dispute over ownership, possession, tenancy or any other interest in property, the proper place for determining competing rights is through the processes established by law.
“It cannot be determined through intimidation. It cannot be determined by force. It cannot be determined by might. And, it certainly should not be determined by taking the law into one’s own hands.
“This is why the allegations surrounding the events at Treasure Suites deserve urgent, independent and transparent examination by the appropriate authorities.
Our intervention today is therefore not an attempt to prejudge any legitimate ownership dispute or substitute civil society for a court of competent jurisdiction.
“Rather, our demand is that the law must prevail. If any party believes that it possesses superior legal title or rights over the property, such rights must be asserted and enforced through lawful procedures.
“That principle must apply equally to the powerful and the powerless. We recognise that allegations are not, by themselves, judicial findings. That is precisely why we are demanding a credible investigation and lawful resolution.
Those responsible for investigating these matters must establish – Who authorised the operation? Under what legal authority was it carried out? Was there a valid and enforceable court order authorising the specific actions taken?
“Were the occupants given the notices and procedural protections required by law?
Were law-enforcement personnel involved, and if so, under whose instructions and pursuant to what lawful authority?
What happened to the properties and personal belongings of the affected occupants? And, most importantly, were the constitutional and legal rights of the persons affected respected?
“These questions cannot simply disappear when the television cameras leave. They require answers,” the group said.
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