A lawyer representing Jonah Capital Nigeria Limited and Paulo Homes Limited has asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate an alleged fraud and impersonation linked to a claimed $300 million investment in the River Park Estate project in Abuja.
The petition was signed by Oluwabunmi Adebiyi of Blue-Gate Solicitors & Attorneys and was reportedly submitted on behalf of the two companies. The lawyer is asking the EFCC to investigate claims surrounding the ownership, financing and development of the River Park Estate project.
The development comes amid an ongoing dispute over River Park Estate in Lugbe, Abuja. The dispute has now moved to international arbitration, following disagreements involving the Ghanaian faction of Jonah Capital Nigeria Limited and the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) over the termination of development rights to the property.
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, recently confirmed that the matter had proceeded to arbitration at the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) in Paris. The dispute concerns the FCDA’s decision to terminate the Development Lease Agreement for Plot 4, Cadastral Zone E30, Lugbe West, Abuja, in November 2025.
LAWYER QUESTIONS $300 MILLION INVESTMENT CLAIM
In the petition, the lawyer identified Adeniran Ogunmuyiwa as the founder of Jonah Capital and urged the EFCC to investigate the claim that Samuel Esson Jonah invested more than $300 million in the River Park project.
The lawyer argued that the claim should be supported with financial and other relevant documents showing how the alleged investment was made and how it was used in the development of the estate.
According to the petition, the alleged $300 million investment claim has also been presented during the arbitration proceedings before the ICC. The lawyer described the claim as false and alleged that it was part of an attempt to create a misleading history of ownership and investment in the project.
He argued that such claims could potentially result in financial or proprietary benefits being granted to individuals who, according to his clients, have no legitimate entitlement to the project.
The lawyer also disputed Samuel Jonah’s involvement as a shareholder of Jonah Capital. He claimed that Jonah was admitted as a shareholder on the understanding that he would provide capital for the development of the project but failed to fulfil that obligation.
According to the petition, Jonah was subsequently removed as a shareholder around 2008 and was never appointed a director of the company.
PAULO HOMES’ ROLE IN THE PROJECT
The lawyer further stated that after the expected financing failed to materialise, Paul Odili of Paulo Homes Limited became involved in the project and committed substantial resources to its development.
He said Paulo Homes was involved in settling indigenous settlers and providing basic infrastructure, including access roads, water systems and other facilities needed for the development of the estate.
The lawyer maintained that the financial commitment made by Paulo Homes ran into billions of naira and disputed claims that Samuel Jonah had financed the project.
EFCC URGED TO INVESTIGATE
The petition called on the EFCC to investigate Samuel Esson Jonah, Kojo Mensah and other individuals allegedly connected to the disputed investment claim.
The lawyer specifically requested an investigation into the relationship between Kojo Mensah and Samuel Jonah, the representations allegedly made during the ICC proceedings, and the documents being relied upon to support the claimed $300 million investment.
He also asked the EFCC to determine whether any documents or statements submitted during the arbitration were false, fabricated or misleading.
The lawyer alleged that JonahCapital Nigeria Limited did not finance or invest in the River Park Estate project and urged the EFCC to take appropriate action against anyone found to have committed an offence.
BACKGROUND TO THE DISPUTE
The River Park Estate dispute has been the subject of several legal proceedings. Earlier in 2026, an FCT High Court struck out a criminal charge against Ghanaian investors linked to JonahCapital and a Nigerian lawyer.
The case involved allegations of forgery and the alleged unlawful allocation of 99 million shares connected to the River Park Estate project.
The defendants included Samuel Esson Jonah, Kojo Ansah Mensah, Victor Quainoo and Nigerian lawyer Abu Arome.
The decision followed an application by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation to discontinue the criminal proceedings. The application was made under Section 174 of the 1999 Constitution, which gives the Attorney-General the power to discontinue criminal proceedings before judgment.
The court subsequently struck out the charge.
The River Park Estate dispute remains significant because of the project’s location along Airport Road in Abuja, one of the Federal Capital Territory’s major residential and commercial corridors. The disagreement involves both Nigerian and Ghanaian interests and has attracted considerable legal and public attention.
