Protest at Nigerian High Commission: Group Petitions Tinubu Over Attacks on Sam Jonah’s Firms

• Concerned Citizens for Justice and Economic Freedom, a civil society group, staged a peaceful protest at the Nigerian High Commission in Accra
• The protest focused on the alleged mistreatment of Ghanaian firms, including JonahCapital Nigeria Ltd and Mobus Property Nigeria Ltd
• The group presented a formal petition to the High Commissioner, calling for immediate steps to protect Ghanaian businesses

Concerned Citizens for Justice and Economic Freedom, a Ghanaian civil society group, has staged a peaceful protest at the Nigerian High Commission in Accra.

The group held a peaceful march on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, to demand an immediate action from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and top Nigerian authorities over what they described as targeted harassment and intimidation of Ghanaian businesses operating in Nigeria.

The protest, which ended with the presentation of a formal petition to the High Commissioner, focused on the plight of JonahCapital Nigeria Ltd and Mobus Property Nigeria Ltd, firms led by Ghanaian statesman Sir Samuel Esson Jonah and his executives, including Mr. Kojo Ansah and Mr. Victor Quainoo.

In the petition addressed to President Tinubu, through the Nigerian High Commission, the group accused Nigerian law enforcement agencies, including the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Olukayode Egbetokun, FCT Commissioner of Police CP Ajao Saka Adewale, and EFCC officials, of intimidation, gun violence, and harassment of Ghanaian workers and executives involved in the River Park Estate project in Abuja.

According to the details of the petition, Ghanaian staff at the Abuja-based River Park Estate had been beaten, shot at, and had their vehicle tyres destroyed by security operatives allegedly acting on private interests.

The incidents, including one during a visit by Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, on April 5, 2025, were described as part of a broader campaign of intimidation backed by rogue security operatives in a land dispute.

“These actions not only violate the basic human rights of Ghanaians doing lawful business in Nigeria but also threaten the spirit of regional diplomacy between our two countries,” the petition reads.

Ghanaian businessmen sue Nigeria IGP and EFCC

The protest came just days after Ghanaian investors, led by Sir Samuel Jonah, filed a lawsuit at the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking ₦200 million (GH¢1,332,864.65) in damages and the release of a Special Investigation Panel (SIP) report compiled by the Nigeria Police in 2024.

The plaintiffs accused the police and EFCC of deliberately withholding the report, which they claim cleared them of any wrongdoing in the River Park Estate land dispute.

Below are the demands made by the concerned citizens group in the petition presented to the Nigerian High Commissioner to Ghana:

• The Nigerian Inspector General of Police immediately releases the certified true copy of the SIP report.
• All individuals involved in the intimidation and harassment, including law enforcement officers, should be investigated and prosecuted.
• The Nigerian High Commission in Ghana formally communicates Ghana’s concerns to the Nigerian Government.
• Immediate steps should be taken to protect Ghanaian businesses and ensure their right to operate freely in Nigeria.

Nigerian businesses thrive freely in Ghana

The petition further highlighted the irony that Nigerian businesses, including banks like Zenith, UBA, GTBank, and fintechs such as Flutterwave, operate freely and successfully in Ghana, while Ghanaians in Nigeria face what they called systemic hostility.

“We only ask for fairness and equal treatment, Nigerians are thriving in Ghana; Ghanaians deserve the same respect in Nigeria." the group’s Convener stated after submitting the petition.

The Nigerian High Commission acknowledged receipt of the petition but has not yet issued a formal response.

Meanwhile, diplomatic observers and regional trade experts have urged calm and called for urgent high-level engagement to defuse rising tensions between the two ECOWAS member states.

Watch the video below:

Video of Sam Jonah's Abuja estate emerges

In a related story, YEN.com.gh reported that a video showcasing Sir Sam Jonah's impressive estate in Nigeria recently surfaced on social media, attracting widespread admiration.

The Ghanaian millionaire's estate covers 501 hectares of land in Nigeria’s capital.

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, visited Nigeria and highlighted Sam Jonah's vast property.

Many Ghanaians on social media shared their opinions in the video’s comment section.

Proofreading by Samuel Gitonga, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.

Source: YEN.com.gh