Court stops civil defence from regulating UNICAL’s private security dept

A Federal High Court in Abuja has stopped the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) from interfering with the University of Calabar’s private security department. Justice Nkeoma Maha, in her judgment of February 20, a copy of which was seen by Daily Trust on Wednesday, said the lawful duties of the university’s security department […]

A Federal High Court in Abuja has stopped the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) from interfering with the University of Calabar’s private security department.

Justice Nkeoma Maha, in her judgment of February 20, a copy of which was seen by Daily Trust on Wednesday, said the lawful duties of the university’s security department were not subject to the Private Guard Companies Act, Cap P30, LFN 2004, and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps Act, Cap 146, LFN 2004, and Private Guard Companies Regulations 2018.

The judge also restrained the Attorney General of the Federation, the Minister of Interior and the NSCDC “from embarking on any action against the 1st plaintiff’s (University of Calabar) security department, including but not limited to sealing up the 1st plaintiff (University of Calabar) as threatened in Exhibits UC5 A&B attached in support of the originating summons under the guise of purportedly enforcing the provisions of the Private Guards Act, Cap P30, LFN 2004, and therefore disturbing the 1st plaintiff and its security department in the discharge of its lawful duties.”

The university’s security department had argued that being an apparatus of the university, which was established by an Act of the National Assembly in 1979, it did not fall within the jurisdictional scope and category of persons and or bodies to be regulated by the NSCDC, and could not therefore be compelled to be registered and or licenced by the NSCDC.