Nigeria drops criminal case against Ghanaian tycoon Sam Jonah
In a series of directives issued by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and signed by Director of Public Prosecutions M.B. Abubakar, prosecutors were told to discontinue charges
Nigeria’s Attorney General has ordered an end to criminal proceedings against Ghanaian businessman Sir Sam Jonah and three others, after concluding that there is no case for them to answer in a long-running dispute over Abuja’s River Park Estate.
In a series of directives issued by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and signed by Director of Public Prosecutions M.B. Abubakar, prosecutors were told to discontinue charges linked to Jonah Capital Nigeria Limited and Houses for Africa Nigeria Limited.
The decision follows months of controversy, including a formal petition dated 13 December 2025 in which Sir Sam asked Ghana’s Foreign Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, to intervene over what he described as the unlawful seizure of his stakes in River Park Estate by Nigeria’s Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).
After reviewing police case files and earlier inquiries, the AGF found that allegations of forgery, fraud and related offences against Sir Sam, Kojo Ansah Mensah, Victor Quainoo and Abu Arome did not meet the evidential threshold required for prosecution.
In relation to Charge No. CR/402/25, the AGF concluded that investigations by the Nigeria Police Force had failed to disclose a prima facie case capable of sustaining criminal liability.
The Attorney General instead endorsed the findings of a Special Investigation Panel report dated 28 March 2025 on petitions involving Jonah Capital Nigeria Limited, Houses for Africa Nigeria Limited and River Park Estate, describing that report as comprehensive, credible and impartial.
By contrast, the AGF criticised the work of the IGP Monitoring Unit, branding its conclusions “highly misleading” and faulting attempts to recast what he characterised as a commercial dispute into a criminal matter, contrary to the spirit of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.
The correspondence also took issue with a police press briefing on 27 June 2025, during which individuals were publicly presented as the owners and managers of River Park Estate before any court had ruled on the issue. The AGF said such pronouncements overstepped the lawful remit of the police.
As part of the remedial steps, the CAC has been directed to reverse any administrative actions it took against the companies on the back of the disputed investigation report and to avoid measures that could undermine ongoing judicial proceedings.
Beyond terminating the case against the four men, the AGF has ordered fresh investigations into allegations of criminal intimidation, assault and property destruction at River Park Estate, reportedly involving persons acting at the behest of businessman Paul Odili.
The Nigeria Police Force has also been instructed to ensure the safety of residents and to guarantee their peaceful enjoyment of property while the new probe is carried out.
