The protesters, under the banner of Concerned Citizens of Ghana and led by actor and businessman James Clark, gathered to express outrage over the alleged mistreatment of their fellow Ghanaians in Nigeria.
Agroup of concerned Ghanaian citizens staged a peaceful protest in Accra on Tuesday to decry the alleged intimidation and harassment of Ghanaian investors in Nigeria over a protracted land dispute at the upscale River Park Estate in Abuja.
The protesters, under the banner of Concerned Citizens of Ghana and led by actor and businessman James Clark, gathered to express outrage over the alleged mistreatment of their fellow Ghanaians in Nigeria.
They held placards with bold messages such as: “President Tinubu Must Sack IGP”, “Release SIP Report Now”, “President Mahama Speak to Your Brother”, and “Nigerian Businesses in Ghana Must Respond.”
Addressing journalists, Clark stated that the protest was a patriotic duty to defend Ghanaian nationals who were being mistreated abroad. He referenced the case of a businessman Sir Samuel Esson Jonah and other Ghanaian investors involved in a multimillion-dollar development project in Nigeria who Nigerian security officials are allegedly harassing.
“Mr Esson Jonah is a businessman and he has a couple of them around him who are Ghanaians. We live peacefully with our brothers and sisters here in Ghana, they got married to our family and everything. Everything is smooth here. Our Ghanaian brothers, too, in Nigeria, are being harassed, so we just want the commissioner to talk to the Nigerian IGP, talk to the Nigerian immigration officers, and also talk to their president so that everything will be peaceful,” he said.
He urged Ghanaian authorities to engage Nigerian counterparts diplomatically and demanded accountability from Nigerian law enforcement officials, including the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun.
The protest follows recent revelations that Jonah and his partners — Kojo Ansah Mensah, Victor Quainoo, and their lawyer Abu Arome — have sued the Nigerian police chief and other top security officials before the Federal High Court in Abuja under suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1130/2025.
The suit seeks ₦200 million in exemplary damages over what the plaintiffs describe as sustained harassment, arbitrary arrests, and violation of their fundamental rights. The conflict stems from a contested land ownership issue at River Park Estate, one of Abuja’s most prominent real estate developments.
According to court filings, the IGP had earlier constituted a Special Investigation Panel (SIP) to probe petitions related to the dispute. The panel, led by DCP Usman Ahmed Imam, submitted a report to the IGP, who then asked the CP (Legal) to review it. However, the plaintiffs claim the findings were neither made public nor acted upon.
Instead, the investors allege that DCP Akin Fakorede — head of the IGP Monitoring Unit and a former SARS commander — initiated a fresh investigation perceived as an attempt to override or suppress the SIP’s findings. They also accuse EFCC officials of detaining one of them under questionable circumstances.
“My attention was drawn to this situation, videos were given, and when I viewed it, I realised that as a citizen of Ghana, I should come to the aid of a Ghanaian wherever he is in the world when he is facing challenges because as a patriotic Ghanaian,” said Clark. “
“When I hear about my brother being bullied or being manipulated or abused somewhere, it is our duty to make sure that we call the commissioners of those departments or their countries to talk to the president and talk to their IGPs, talk to their immigration heads so that everything that they are doing, they will stop and let the businessman do his business peacefully.”
The case has sparked criticism in Ghanaian media. The legal and diplomatic crisis also casts a shadow over Nigeria’s efforts to attract foreign direct investment. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration claims to have secured over $30 billion in FDI commitments within 16 months, but analysts warn that heavy-handed tactics and legal uncertainty may drive away foreign investors.
The plaintiffs are seeking court orders restraining the Nigerian Police Force and the EFCC from further inviting, arresting, or detaining them, stressing that the dispute is civil and should be resolved lawfully.
They have also petitioned the Nigerian Police Service Commission to investigate alleged misconduct by senior officers, accusing them of weaponising law enforcement for personal or political gain.
