JonahCapital Nigeria Limited, the Ghanaian-owned developer behind Abuja's River Park Estate, has accused Nigeria's Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike, of fuelling a "sustained xenophobic campaign" against Ghanaian investors days after armed policemen were filmed escorting a group of men into one of the company's facilities in what witnesses described as an unlawful operation.

In a statement issued in Abuja on July 1, 2026, JonahCapital's Chief Executive Officer, Mr Kojo Ansah Mensah, said recent attacks on the company's investments stem directly from decisions Wike made regarding ownership and control of the estate.

Mensah alleged that Wike had publicly acknowledged JonahCapital as holder of the Development Lease Agreement over River Park Estate before terminating the arrangement and asserting ownership over lands and assets the company says it developed. He said this reversal created the conditions under which third parties have sought to dispossess JonahCapital of lands, infrastructure and facilities built over years of investment in Nigeria.

Armed police operation at Gallery Clubhouse

The allegations follow an incident on June 29, 2026, in which armed policemen allegedly attached to the Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU) of the Nigeria Police Force were seen escorting a group of men to The Gallery Clubhouse, a recreational facility owned by JonahCapital. Part of the facility's entrance was reportedly excavated during the operation, which the company has called an unlawful invasion of its property.

According to eyewitnesses, the men arrived in large numbers and were allegedly acting on behalf of a businessman named Paul Odili. Officers reportedly prevented staff from interfering with the operation and declined to disclose the authority under which they were acting when questioned.

A video of the operation, which went viral online, captured a tense exchange between a staff member and one of the policemen after the employee began filming. The officer insisted that recording him without consent violated his rights, while the employee maintained he was documenting what he believed was an illegal act.

Growing xenophobia concerns

The incident has drawn appeals from residents and observers, with eyewitness Sajay Omagbemi cautioning that the matter should not be swept under the carpet because it involves a foreign investor, warning against anything that could create the impression of hostility toward foreign investments or lead to the kind of xenophobic tensions witnessed in South Africa.

Residents and observers have appealed to Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu to order a transparent investigation, and have urged President Bola Tinubu to ensure the matter is thoroughly investigated. The Divisional Police Officer for River Park Estate, Adeagbo Olatunji, confirmed awareness of the incident, saying he had invited both parties to ascertain what happened, but noted police have been advised not to interfere in land disputes. Mensah disputed this, saying the DPO never contacted him.

As of the time of filing, neither the Nigeria Police Force nor the Federal Capital Territory Police Command had issued an official statement on the operation.

JonahCapital's broader allegations

JonahCapital said the pattern of actions against its investments has moved beyond an ordinary commercial dispute and now raises "serious concerns regarding xenophobia and the treatment of foreign investors in Nigeria." The company said the developments have left Ghanaian-owned investments vulnerable to "encroachment, intimidation, exclusion, and repeated attacks."

The company also alleged that despite Wike publicly stating that the Federal Capital Development Authority had no business relationship with Paulo Homes, title documents have nonetheless been issued over lands claimed by JonahCapital, a development it says has enabled widespread encroachment on its project areas.

A long-running dispute

The June 29 incident is the latest flashpoint in a dispute that has resulted in multiple court cases, police investigations and public exchanges over the past two years.

In mid-2025, JonahCapital directors, including Sir Samuel Esson Jonah, Kojo Ansah Mensah and Victor Quainoo, filed a Federal High Court suit against Nigeria's Inspector General of Police, the EFCC and other top security officials, demanding ₦200 million in damages over alleged unlawful intimidation and an attempt to bury a completed police investigation report.

That case traces the dispute to 2013, when JonahCapital invited Paulo Homes into a joint venture to secure building permits in exchange for 30% of land allocations.

The investors allege Paulo Homes later breached the deal, seized more land, and accused the Ghanaians of forgery claims a Special Investigation Panel found baseless. Both the Ghanaian High Commission in Nigeria and Nigeria's Attorney-General have asked the IGP to release the panel's findings, without success.

Commendation for police intervention, call for international attention

Despite its criticism of the June 29 operation, JonahCapital separately commended Inspector-General Olatunji Disu and the FCT Commissioner of Police, CP Sanusi, for what it described as "timely and decisive intervention" during recent events at the estate, which it said averted potential violence and bloodshed.

The company has called on Nigeria's Presidency, security agencies, diplomatic missions, ECOWAS institutions, investor protection bodies and the international community to closely monitor the situation and ensure the rights of foreign investors are protected.