Mast default: Court to rule on MTN objection Jan. 29

A magistrate’s court, Wuse Zone 2, Abuja has fixed January 29, 2019 for ruling in a preliminary objection by MTN Nigeria in a suit over the company’s default in the renting of a space for its transmission mast.

Magistrate Olubunmi Achegbulu had last week fixed the date after listening to the reply by the owner of Plot 1038 Cassava Street, Wuye District, Abuja, Edward Shehu Buba, who is seeking to recover his property from MTN or negotiate fresh rent agreement.

MTN, in the preliminary objection through its counsel, A.U. Gaji, said it is no longer the owner of the mast but INT Towers Ltd, adding that its transfer of interest in the lease agreement to Futures Communications and INT Ltd was to the consent of Buba.

But counsel to Buba, Maiyaki Theodore Bala, said the land was leased to MTN through Future Telecoms Nigeria Ltd in 2007 for its transmission mast at an annual rent of N1m for N10m in 10 years as contained in the various agreements.

Bala said the tenancy lapsed on February 28, 2017 and the MTN mast marked ABJ 876A TI263 is still in the compound without vacating or agreeing to new lease agreement.

He said the flat which was valued for rentage at N2.5 million and N3 million per annum, remained unrented due to scare of purported “health hazards associated with radiation emissions from the masts.”