River Park Estate: SAN representing Ghanaians, on Retainership with FCDA

By Vivian Okejeme Abuja

The last has not been heard of the legal altercation over ownership of high-value River Park Estate Abuja, as more facts have emerged in respect of the Ministerial Committee set up by the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Barr. Nyesom Wike, to address the protracted feud.

It will be recalled that the FCT Minister had during a recent programme on Channels TV, revealed that a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Sunday Ameh, wrote the petition on the River Park matter, upon which he set up the Ministerial committee on the advice of the FCT General Counsel, Salmon Dako.

However, it was learnt on good authority that Mr Ameh has been on retainership with the FCT Administration and has been working hand in hand with the General Counsel, who equally headed the Ministerial Committee.

Also, the FCT Minister had disclosed that it was the General Counsel, that earlier told him not to sign Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) for Paulo Homes Nigeria Ltd again.

“We have been signing C of O to Paulo Homes, Paulo Homes, Paulo Homes, and somehow, the General Counsel came and said, we don’t have anything with Paulo Homes, Wike stated.

Nevertheless, the petition written by the Senior Advocate concerning ownership of River Park Estate, an issue before various courts of competent jurisdictions in Nigeria where the same SAN is involved, was not even shown to JonahCapital Nigeria Ltd and Houses for Africa Nigeria Ltd before the General Counsel reached his findings with his Committee.

Findings show that apart from representing the FCT in some matters in courts, the senior lawyer is representing the Ghanaians in some cases too, in courts namely; Suit No: FCT/HC/CV/4223/24 Jonah Capital Nigeria Limited V Paulo Homes Limited & 3 ors;

Suit No:FCT/HC/CV/5206/24 Jonah Capital Nigeria Limited V Paulo Homes Limited & Anor; and

Suit No:FCT/HC/CV/4221/24 Jonah Capital Nigeria Limited V Dunamis Gospel Centre & 3 ors.

All the afre mentioned suits are bordering on ownership of River Park Estate.

A source close to the property developer, who preferred anonymity said in essence, the SAN had written the petition in anticipation that the Court cases may not come out in his favour and used his relationship with the FCT Authority to try and get an outcome desirable to him and his Ghanaian clients.

On October 6, the SAN had before Justice Mohammed Zubairu of High Court of the Federal Capital Territory sitting in Jikwoyi-Kurudu, announced legal appearance for the same Ghanaians laying claims to ownership of the estate.

Again, it was gathered authoritatively that the petitioner and the FCDA General Counsel misled the FCT Minister into setting up the Ministerial Committee, in a bid to overreach the court where the above matters are pending and usurp the powers of the police to investigate crime and prevent same by claiming to set aside albeit unlawfully police report based on forensic report.

Some residents in the estate who have been following the ownership crisis, opined that these actions of the Minister based on a report of a committee have been stated to threaten Nigeria’s constitutional democracy if allowed to stand as no Minister talk less of a committee they set up has the power to set aside an investigation of the Nigeria Police.

The ownership feud climaxed following the filing of a 26-count charge by the Nigerian Police against three Ghanaians, namely, Sam Jonah, Kojo Mensah and Victor Quianoo as well as a Nigerian lawyer, Abu Arome and a company, Mobus Nigeria Ltd, over allegations of forgery of ownership documents, corporate fraud, impersonation etc.

The matter, initially slated for arraignment on July 16, 2025, before Justice Modupe-Osho Adebiyi of High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Gwarimpa, was stalled and had to be adjourned to October 7.

However, the case was brought forward to September 25, a date the office of the Attorney General of the Federation, had announced to the court that it has taken over the case from the police.

It is also worthy of note that one of the suspects of the illegal scheme in trying to take over Jonahcapital Nigeria Limited and Houses for Africa Nigeria Limited by allegedly creating 99,000,000 fraudulently shares in 2024 Victor Quainoo; also came to the FCT High Court in Jikwoyi still claiming to represent Jonahcapital on the 6th of October 2025 despite facing charges in the same FCT High Court.

The charge has been fixed for hearing on November 11.

Meanwhile, as at the time of filing this report, calls put through to Me Ameh, were not answered, and an SMS sent to him, was also not replied. END.