The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has asked DB Mangal Nigeria, an Abuja company, to seek redress in court over a land allegedly taken from it rather than writing an open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari.
Recall that the Company, DB Mangal Nigeria Ltd, had published through an advertorial on a national daily, an open letter to the President, seeking the return of land it claimed NBTE forcefully took from it.
The Executive Secretary (ES) of the Board, Professor Idris Bugaje, in reaction to the publication on Thursday explained that the land in contention belongs to NBTE, stressing that, a subsisting judgment of the Abuja High Court in 2007 returned the confiscated land to NBTE including the structures illegally built on it by DB Mangal Nigeria Ltd.
Prof. Bugaje further explained, “Our attention has been drawn to an advertorial, in the form of an Open Letter to His Excellency Mr President, which appeared in Daily Trust Newspaper of 17th November 2021 by one Shehu Wada and Co. on behalf of DB Mangal Nigeria Ltd concerning the recovery of NBTE Land and Property, Plot 445 Maitama Abuja.”
He opined that the advertorial is misleading and DB Mangal should have gone to court to assert his rights over the land, pointing out that they failed to mention to the public the subsisting judgment of the Abuja High Court in 2007 that returned the confiscated land back to NBTE including the structures illegally built by DB Mangal Nigeria Ltd.
He added that in June 2019, the Special Presidential Investigation Panel reaffirmed the High Court order and in a ceremony handed over the building to NBTE, alleging that Mangal Nig Ltd mobilized hoodlums who attacked and once again forcefully took over the property after allegedly compromising the NBTE leadership at that time.
He explained that when he assumed office in April 2021, he sought the approval of the HME, Mallam Adamu Adamu, to re-enforce the subsisting court judgment using all security apparatus at their disposal, adding that they got approval and accordingly notified DB Mangal Nig Ltd of their intention and it was carried out successfully on 11th November 2021.
The ES assured that the Federal Government property has now been recovered, saying that the rule of law was upheld and the directives of the Presidential Investigation Panel affirmed.
He, therefore, seeks the understanding and cooperation of all Nigerians as they ensure that the Change Mantra of Mr. President is upheld by any legal means necessary and the days of impunity in Nigeria are over.
Recall that the said land was investigated by the social presidential investigation panel under the chairmanship of Okoi Obono-Obla led committee and upon completion of the investigation handed over the land to NBTE on 19th June 2019.
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