December 20, 2025 | News | SUNTV Global Channel
Fresh diplomatic tension is brewing between Nigeria and Ghana following the decision by the Ghanaian government to formally petition the ECOWAS Court of Justice over the protracted River Park Estate dispute, amid mounting accusations of silence, regulatory abuse and official complicity by Nigerian authorities.
At the centre of the controversy is Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, who has been accused of maintaining a conspicuous silence despite receiving a detailed petition alleging grave misconduct by the Registrar-General of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Hussaini Ishaq Magaji, SAN.
SaharaReporters had earlier reported that two Abuja-based firms — Jonah Capital Limited and Houses for Africa Limited — petitioned the minister, demanding an urgent probe into what they described as unlawful actions by the CAC leadership.
The petition, submitted on December 8, 2025, on behalf of the firms by prominent Ghanaian investor, Sir Samuel Esson Jonah, KBE, accused the CAC Registrar-General of engaging in “unlawful expropriation of shares, extrajudicial removal of directors, and retrospective invalidation of corporate filings.”
According to the petition, the CAC allegedly reversed nearly two decades of legally recognised corporate records relating to JonahCapital Nigeria Ltd and Houses for Africa Nigeria Ltd — actions the investors insist have destabilised ownership of the multi-billion-naira River Park Estate in Abuja and shaken foreign investor confidence in Nigeria.
Sources told SUNTV Global Channel on Saturday that Dr. Oduwole’s continued silence has raised serious concerns about investor protection, regulatory capture and political shielding within Nigeria’s corporate governance framework.
“The actions of the Corporate Affairs Commission under Registrar-General Hussaini Ishaq Magaji, SAN, have become the flashpoint of this entire crisis,” a source familiar with the matter said.
JonahCapital’s Chief Executive Officer, Kojo Mensah, further alleged that the CAC falsely claimed the company failed to attend reconciliation meetings — an assertion he said is directly contradicted by video evidence publicly shared by the Registrar-General himself.
Mensah warned that the CAC’s unilateral reversal of long-standing corporate filings has not only thrown the River Park Estate into chaos but also threatens Nigeria’s credibility as a safe destination for foreign investment.
With Ghana now escalating the matter to ECOWAS, diplomatic sources warn that the dispute could strain the historically strong bilateral relations between both countries if not urgently addressed.
“Despite being formally petitioned, Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment has remained publicly silent,” another source said. “The allegations involve unconstitutional actions that are economically dangerous and damaging to Nigeria’s international image.”
Attention has also turned to the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, amid claims that the CAC sent misleading correspondence to his office, alleging non-cooperation by JonahCapital. The company insists these claims are false and unsupported by evidence.
Legal analysts say delays or inaction at the level of the AGF could inadvertently legitimise administrative overreach and undermine ongoing judicial proceedings already before the Federal High Court.
Meanwhile, the role of the Commissioner of Police, Akin Fakorede, has also come under scrutiny. Stakeholders allege that police involvement in the River Park Estate dispute went beyond routine investigation, raising concerns over intimidation, selective enforcement and the misuse of police authority in what is fundamentally a civil-commercial matter.
Equally troubling is the continued non-release of the Special Investigation Panel (SIP) report compiled by the Nigerian Police on the dispute. Observers say the failure to publish or act on the report has fuelled speculation that its findings may contradict official positions or prove politically inconvenient.
Confirming Ghana’s decision to escalate the matter, Ghana’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Baba Jamal, said on JoyTV that Accra had exhausted diplomatic channels before approaching ECOWAS.
“We did not want to escalate this matter because we did not want it to affect the excellent relationship between Ghana and Nigeria,” Jamal said.
“But some individuals are trying to push their power to take over things that do not belong to them.”
He disclosed that Ghana has submitted comprehensive documentation to the ECOWAS Court and now awaits adjudication, setting the stage for a high-stakes regional legal battle with significant diplomatic and economic implications.
