An Abuja-based company, Stone Rockers Limited, has slammed a N5 billion suit on the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) over an alleged unlawful shutdown of its operations and confistication of its equipments. The company, in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2412/2025, is seeking an order of the court to compel the NSCDC to pay it the amount as damages for the illegal shutdown of its operations and unlawful seizure of its equipments.
The suit instituted on its behalf by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Olalekan Ojo, is having NSCDC, its Commandant General, Ahmed Abubakar Audi, and one, Attah John Onoja as defendants. Brought under Order 3 Rule 6 of the Federal High Court Civil Procedures, the plaintiff, among others, complained that the defendants engaged in arbitrary abuse of their statutory powers by sealing up its quarry site without lawful order of any court.
The sealed quarry site is said to be legally covered by Quarry Lease No; 37326 at plot FL-109 Cadastral Zone, Gaube Farmland Layout, Barmishi Village, Kuje Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory FCT. The alleged unlawful shutdown of the company was said to have been carried out on July 24, 2025 based on allegations of encroaching on a portion of land belonging to another Company, Lord Career Ventures Nigeria Limited.
The plaintiff alleged that the defendants forcefully invaded the company and carted away its property without order of court. It therefore prayed the court to declare as ultra vires, arbitrary and abuse of statutory powers, the shutdown of its operations without a valid order of court. The plaintiff also prayed for a declaration that the August 16, 2025 confiscation of its property is illegal, unlawful and arbitrary interference with its right to carry out operations.
To assuage its loses arising from the alleged forceful take over of its site, the plaintiff asked for another order of the court compelling the three defendants to pay it a sum of five billion naira in damages. Besides, the company demanded an order to restrain the defendants, agents and privies from further interfering with its operations and another one to compel the defendants to restore all carted away equipments.
Similarly, it sought another order directing it to resume its legitimate and equitable operations without any hindrance or disturbances from the defendants, their agents, privies or anybody or group acting on their behalf. Meanwhile, the case has been assigned to Justice Mohammed Garuba Umar and May 19 has been fixed as the hearing date.
