The government of Zamfara state has announced the recovery of more than 40 official vehicles from the immediate past governor, Bello Matawalle. The vehicles were reportedly found during a raid on Matawalle’s residences in Gusau and Maradun LGA, including his hometown. Prior to the raid, the state government had requested Matawalle and his deputy to return all government assets under their care within five working days. However, their failure to comply with the directive led the police to obtain a search warrant and conduct the operation on Friday morning.
According to Suleiman Idris, the spokesperson for the governor, the Nigeria Police Force executed the raid based on a court order. The Zamfara State Government had officially notified Matawalle and his deputy to return the missing vehicles and lodged a complaint with the police regarding the looting of valuables and official vehicles. Over 40 vehicles were ultimately recovered during the operation, including three bulletproof vehicles and eight SUVs.
The government of Zamfara State reiterated its commitment to recovering assets that belong to the people and emphasized its dedication to the state’s recovery and reconstruction. They called for calm among the residents and highlighted the significant improvements being made in security and the resolution of water scarcity issues in the state.
In the Zamfara governorship election held in March, Dauda Lawal defeated Bello Matawalle by polling 377,726 votes, resulting in a change of leadership.