Court halts Abuja market project - FCT residents warned against buying shops

Residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have been cautioned against purchasing shops at the Apo Resettlement Scheme Market following a court order halting construction at the disputed site.

The warning stems from an interlocutory injunction issued by the FCT High Court in suit No. FCT/HC/467/2024, amid a legal battle between two developers: Techs & Concretes Nigeria Ltd and Manillah Integrated Partners Ltd.

A “Stop Work” order was visibly inscribed on the market premises on Monday, April 28, with official court documents also pasted on the property by court bailiffs.

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Speaking at the site, Ameh Kennedy Gabriel, Project Manager for Techs & Concretes, confirmed that the company is adhering to the court's decision.

“The court has given order and we are here to tell the world that the construction of this market has been put on hold.

“As far as the statutes of the court are concerned, no shop here has been sold to anybody,” he said.

Gabriel also urged the rival firm to respect the rule of law: “Manillah Integrated Partners Ltd must obey court orders. Nobody is above the law.”

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Dr. Shuaibu Omeiza Musari, Managing Director of Techs & Concretes, provided context on the dispute, stating that his company entered a financing and marketing agreement with Manillah over a year ago, only for the latter to allegedly attempt to exclude them from the project.

“To our biggest surprise, we started noticing some funny moves—Manillah trying to shove us away. Now the court has ordered a stop to all ongoing work.”

He added that any individual who purchases a shop at the market does so at their own risk, as the matter remains unresolved in court.