NBTE alleged that those who encroached into its property had been collecting rents on it illegally, against the earlier judgment delivered by the court in its favour.
Executive Secretary (ES) of NBTE, Prof. Idris Bugaje, stated, yesterday: “The attention of NBTE has been drawn to attempts by the agents of D.B. Mangal to smear its name by claiming that the NBTE destroyed some of its buildings situated at the Illegally occupied Plot 445 Zambezi Crescent, Maitama, Abuja, whose rents D.B. Mangal has been collecting illegally against a court order.”
This move, he said, was designed by DB Mangal to enter another court procedure against the NBTE and sway the sympathy of the court.
“The bone of contention is the property popularly known as Murjanatu House, which has been declared by an Abuja High Court in 2007 to be the property of NBTE and duly handed over in 2019 by the Special Presidential Investigation Panel on Recovery of Public Property.
“NBTE’s attempt to recover it in 2021 was thwarted by the agents of D.B. Mangal. The matter is now before the FCT High Court and, as law-abiding citizens, the NBTE is awaiting the outcome of the litigation,” Bugaje said.
According to the ES, NBTE wants to make it clear that it has never and would not take the laws into its hands but shall allow the due process for the enforcement of an earlier court order to continue to its logical conclusion.
The board advised members of the public not to be misled by the abuse of court processes by DB Mangal and its collaborators.
