Nigeria’s ambassador, Olusola Ojemane Orevba, in the Democratic Republic of Congo was evicted from his residence in the elitist district of Gombe, Kinshasa, the capital city, where most diplomats live.
Dolly Makambo, the bourgmestre of Gombe, equivalent of a local government chairman on April 14 evicted the ambassador from his residence on number 438 L’Avenue Roi Baudouin in the Gombe district, Kinshasa.
The parcel of land has been under dispute for many years between the Nigerian embassy and the Congolese Jean-Claude Okito.
“The local government chairman has gone on to evict the ambassador from his residence, this is very irregular. It is an embassy. Therefore, there is a laid down procedure to be followed in order to evict an ambassador. This is grave diplomatic incident” Serge Lukanga, Nigeria’s legal representative told Radio Okapi, a radio network that operates in the DRC.
Lukanga stated that the piece of land has belonged to the Nigerian embassy for the past 20 years and regretted that there was a judicial order to evict the Nigerian ambassador.
Okito’s children have gained possession of the property and claimed the parcel of land has been their property for more than 30 years and the Nigerian diplomatic corps has occupied it without any deed of title.
Marie-Cécile Okito, daughter of Jean-Claude Okito returned specifically from the United States of America to deal with this legal situation and says that the parcel of land was not registered at the Congolese Ministry of Foreign Affairs as belonging to Nigeria’s diplomatic mission.
Makambo, the chairman of Gombe district said he took an administrative decision within his executive prerogatives.
