A businessman takes the secretary of the Police Service Commission to court and demands $50 million in compensation

The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory has been asked to award N50 million in general damages against Auto Star Gallery Limited, owned by the Secretary of the Police Service Commission (PSC), Chief Onyemuche Nnamani, for the alleged illegal and forcible reopening and repossession of several suites at Ide Plaza, Plot 484, Utako, Abuja.

Aside from the damages claim of 50 million naira, they asked the court to order Auto Star to pay 4.9 million naira, which is the total sum of the pending judgment in suit no. CV/392/2022 to 17 December 2025.

This disclosure was made in a joint statement of defense and counterclaim filed by the defendants – Chief FIO Enekebe and Ide Plaza Nigeria Limited, in suit no. FCT/HC/CV/1700/2026, dated 27 August 2026, and seen by journalists.

Counsel for the defendants/convenients, Fredricks E. Itula, SAN, argued that the plaintiff, Auto Star Gallery Limited, was actually evicted from Suites A7, A8, A9, A10, A11 and A12 at Ide Plaza by court officers on the line and pursuant to a warrant of possession and a writ of seizure and sale of property issued by a court of competent jurisdiction.

The defendants/plaintiffs further alleged that after being lawfully evicted from the aforesaid premises by the court officers, the plaintiff, in total disobedience and contempt of the court and its officers, broke the locks, reopened and re-entered the six suites of the defendants on the evening of December 17, 2025, after being lawfully evicted by the court officers in accordance with a valid judgment and order of the court.

“The defendants/defendants allege that, without due regard to the authority of the Court and its orders, and without any authorization or permission whatsoever, at around 7.00 pm on the same day (17 December 2025) on which he was lawfully evicted by the Court, the plaintiff/defendant by counterclaim broke all the locks, reopened all the 6 suites/shops and without any authorization re-entered and repossessed all the suites/shops referred to above which had hitherto been locked down by lawful order and authority of the Honorable Court,” they added.

In addition to the above, the defendants claim that the alleged illegitimate recovery of the six suites/shops by Auto Star prevented other people who had paid the rent of the said property from moving into five of the suites, paid by them on 17 December 2025.

Counsel for the counterclaimant accused the claimant’s manager, security officer and other staff of going around intimidating and harassing the defendants’/claimants’ staff, while allegedly telling them that they were in charge and that there was nothing anyone could do to remove them from the premises.

“The appellant/accused Counterclaim manager, security and other staff have said in multiple places, for anyone interested to know, that his alter ego (Chief Onyemauche Nnamani) is the secretary of the Police Service Commission and that there is nothing anyone, including the courts, can do to get them out of such premises,” the court proceedings said.

The defendants/plaintiffs alleged that Auto Star’s actions had adversely affected the patronage and commercial activities of Ide Plaza, where the suites/stores in question are located, causing serious financial and credibility losses.

The defendants added that following the alleged illegal reentry and trespass by Auto Star, they had to engage the services of Fredricks E. Itula, SAN of Fredricks E. Itula SAN & Co. to seek court intervention.

They urged the court to declare that Auto Star acted unlawfully and unlawfully and committed trespass when it forced the locks and re-entered the said suites.

Other demands include an order directing Auto Star to immediately vacate and hand over vacant possession of the said suites, as well as payment of $10 million as the cost of the action.

Lawyers for Auto Star, however, urged the court to declare that there is a valid, binding and subsisting lease agreement between the plaintiffs and the defendants, evidenced by the WhatsApp correspondences and subsequent payment and acknowledgment of N10.9 million.

The company argued that the court’s intervention was necessary to ascertain the rights of the parties.

The case has been scheduled for a further hearing on October 27, 2026.