The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, has directed the Registrar-General of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Hussaini Magaji, to nullify what he described as fraudulent corporate filings affecting two Abuja-based companies: Jonah Capital Nigeria Limited and Houses for Africa Nigeria Limited.
This directive, conveyed through a letter signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation (DPPF), M.B. Abubakar, followed a comprehensive review of investigation files submitted by the Nigeria Police Force, including reports from the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Monitoring Unit and an earlier Special Investigation Panel (SIP).
The AGF concluded that there was no legal basis for criminal prosecution against Sir Samuel Esson Jonah, Mr. Kojo Ansah Mensah, Mr. Victor Quainoo, and Mr. Abu Arome, who had been accused of fraud and forgery in relation to the ownership and management of River Park Estate, Abuja.
The DPPF stated: “No prima facie case of forgery or any related offence, as contained in Charge No: CR/402/25, has been established against the aforementioned individuals.”
Consequently, the 26-count charge earlier filed by the police was formally discontinued.
The AGF’s decision effectively overturned the findings of the IGP Monitoring Unit led by CP Akin Fakorede, which had accused the Ghanaian investors of criminal conduct. In strongly worded remarks, the AGF described the Monitoring Unit’s investigation as “highly misleading”, faulting it for attempting to criminalise what was essentially a commercial and contractual dispute.
He stressed that the investigation disregarded the evidentiary burden required to establish criminal liability and contravened Section 8(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, which prohibits the conversion of civil disputes into criminal matters.
The AGF further emphasised that the Nigeria Police Force lacks jurisdiction to adjudicate issues of land ownership or contractual disputes, noting that such matters fall within the exclusive competence of the courts.
In contrast, the AGF endorsed the findings of the 13-man Special Investigation Panel led by DCP Imam, which had earlier examined multiple petitions involving the two companies. The SIP report, dated March 28, 2025, was described as “valid, comprehensive, and unbiased.”
Beyond the criminal allegations, the AGF addressed administrative lapses at the CAC. He noted that on December 8, 2025, the Commission altered the shareholding structure of Jonah Capital Nigeria Limited and Houses for Africa Nigeria Limited despite pending litigation and formal notices from the AGF’s office.
The AGF directed the CAC Registrar-General to restore the ownership and shareholding structure to the status quo ante, being the position before the disputed alterations.
The AGF also observed that allegations of property destruction, intimidation, and assault, allegedly carried out under the directives of Mr. Paul Odili had not been adequately investigated. He therefore instructed the Nigeria Police Force to conduct a thorough inquiry and ensure peace and security within River Park Estate, allowing residents to enjoy their properties without harassment.
The matter has drawn international attention, with Ghana’s Foreign Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, petitioning the ECOWAS Conference of Foreign Ministers over alleged harassment of Ghanaian investments in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has constituted a separate investigative committee led by the FCT Administration’s General Counsel, Salman Dako, to address escalating tensions and reported violent incidents within the estate.
Legal commentators note that the AGF’s intervention may prove decisive in clarifying the boundary between civil commercial disputes and criminal prosecution, while raising serious concerns about the conduct of certain law enforcement and regulatory officials.
