Sokoto, December 4, 2023: The Federal High Court in Sokoto has dismissed a lawsuit filed by the immediate past Governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle, over the ownership of more than 50 vehicles reportedly belonging to the Zamfara State Government. The vehicles were allegedly taken by the former governor and his supporters before the handover of power on May 29, 2023.
The Zamfara State Police Command conducted a raid on Mr. Matawalle’s residences in June, recovering the official vehicles in line with a court order. The former governor resisted the action, filing an objection at the Federal High Court, Sokoto Division.
However, on Friday, the court rejected Matawalle’s claims regarding the ownership of the official vehicles, a decision hailed by the spokesperson of the Zamfara State Governor, Sulaiman Bala Idris. In a statement on Monday, Idris asserted that the former governor and his cabinet members had taken away critical official vehicles, leaving the current administration with nothing to use.
The statement recalled that in June, the Zamfara State Government had given Matawalle and his deputy five working days to return all official vehicles taken away, but the demands proved unsuccessful. Subsequently, the government obtained a court order to retrieve the vehicles, resulting in the recovery of over 50 vehicles by the police.
After the vehicles were recovered, Matawalle sought a court order for their return and filed a separate suit at the Federal High Court in Gusau, asserting his fundamental right to own property, including the vehicles. The Zamfara State Government requested the case be transferred to another jurisdiction, leading to the dismissal of the matter by the Federal High Court in Sokoto on Friday.
The court refused Matawalle’s reliefs and rejected his claim to ownership of the official vehicles, confirming them as the property of the Zamfara State Government. The current administration, led by Governor Dauda Lawal, has accused Matawalle of financial recklessness, alleging the mismanagement of billions of naira on abandoned projects and questionable contracts during his tenure. Matawalle currently serves as the Minister of State for Defence. The court’s decision is seen as a victory for the Zamfara State Government in its pursuit of justice and accountability.
