Concerns over a possible negative signal to foreign investors resurfaced on Monday after armed policemen were filmed at a Ghanaian-owned investment, the Gallery Clubhouse at River Park Estate, Abuja.
Eyewitnesses said the policemen, allegedly attached to the Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU) of the Nigeria Police Force, escorted a group of men to the recreational facility, where part of the entrance was reportedly excavated. They alleged the officers stopped staff from interfering and declined to identify the authority under which they were acting.
The incident occurred on June 29 and drew widespread reaction after a video surfaced online. In the footage, one of the armed men repeatedly told a staff member to stop recording him, saying it infringed on his rights.
“Why are you videoing me? I am giving you a lawful order; stop videoing me. You can’t video me without my permission. The rights you have as a Nigerian or as a visitor are the same rights I have,” the man said. He told the staff member to report his grievance at a police station or to the Commissioner of Police instead of filming him.
The staff member said he was recording because “it is an illegal action to be destroying the place.” The armed man maintained that his rights had been violated, saying: “You can do that to a layman policeman, not a wise man like me.” He then directed everyone involved to proceed to the police station.
Residents and observers described the operation as an invasion of private property and called for an investigation.
An eyewitness, Mr. Sajay Omagbemi, warned that without a transparent probe, the incident could create a wrong impression of Nigeria’s disposition towards foreign investors. He called on the Inspector-General of Police and the Federal Government to ensure justice and due process, adding that the matter should not be dismissed because it involves a foreign investor. He said Nigeria should avoid anything resembling the xenophobic tensions seen in South Africa.
Other Nigerians appealed to the Inspector-General of Police to order a transparent investigation, saying a prompt resolution would reassure investors of Nigeria’s commitment to the rule of law. They also urged President Bola Tinubu to intervene.
Efforts to reach the management of River Park Estate, to identify the officers involved, were unsuccessful as of filing. The Federal Capital Territory Police Command had yet to respond to the viral video.