Court Orders Recovery Of 50 Govt Vehicles Taken By Bello Matawalle

Gusau, Zamfara State– The lawsuit filed by the immediate past Governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle, over the ownership of more than 50 vehicles reportedly belonging to the State Government, has been dismissed.

The legal battle ensued following a raid on Matawalle’s residence, during which the vehicles in question were recovered.

The former Governor, who filed the lawsuit, adamantly claimed ownership of the vehicles, raising questions about their acquisition and alleged diversion before the official handover of power on May 29, 2023.

The dismissal comes as a blow to Matawalle’s attempt to retain possession of the contested vehicles, as the court ruled against his claims.

The spokesperson for Zamfara State Governor, Sulaiman Bala Idris, confirmed the dismissal of the lawsuit and disclosed that the ex-governor and his cabinet members absconded with numerous crucial official vehicles that were the property of the state government. This action, he stated, has left the current administration without any usable resources.

Court orders retrieval of over 50 government vehicles carted away by former Zamfara Governor

“Recall that in June, the Zamfara State Government gave the former governor and his deputy five working days to return all official vehicles taken away.

“All demands for the return of the said vehicles proved abortive, and as a result, the Zamfara State Government resorted to obtaining a court order to retrieve them. In pursuit of that order, a total number of over 50 vehicles were recovered by the police.

“After the vehicles were recovered, Bello Matawalle quickly went to the Federal High Court in Gusau. The court granted an order for the cars to be returned to him. Additionally, he filed a separate suit at the same court, seeking to enforce his fundamental right to own property, including the vehicles in question.

Court orders retrieval of over 50 government vehicles carted away by former Zamfara Governor

“The Zamfara State Government requested the transfer of the case to another jurisdiction of the Federal High Court. The Federal High Court of Nigeria, Sokoto Judicial Division, dismissed the matter on Friday. The court refused the reliefs sought by Bello Matawalle and rejected his claim to the ownership of the official vehicles. As a result, the vehicles are still considered the property of the Zamfara State Government.

“Our government is committed to recovering all that rightfully belongs to the people through an all-encompassing rescue mission that leaves no stone unturned.

“The judgment by the Federal High Court will encourage us to ensure that justice prevails and all perpetrators of financial banditry in Zamfara are brought to book.”