The Federal High Court in Sokoto, Sokoto State, has dismissed a case brought forward by the former governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle. The case involved the ownership dispute of approximately 50 vehicles reportedly belonging to the Zamfara State government.
The legal battle traces back to June when the Zamfara State Police Command, in compliance with a court order, conducted a raid on the residences of the former Governor Matawalle. This operation aimed to reclaim official vehicles that were allegedly taken by him upon leaving office on May 29, 2023.
In response to the court’s decision, Sulaiman Bala Idris, the spokesperson for the Zamfara State Governor, conveyed that the Sokoto division of the Federal High Court rejected Matawalle’s assertions regarding the ownership of the contested vehicles.
The official statement highlighted that the former governor and his cabinet members were accused of appropriating all official vehicles belonging to the state government, leaving the current administration without essential resources. The statement recalled that the Zamfara State Government had previously given a five-working-day ultimatum to return the official vehicles, but these requests went unanswered.
Facing the inability to secure the return of the vehicles through diplomatic channels, the Zamfara State Government pursued legal action, ultimately obtaining a court order. This legal move led to the successful recovery of over 50 vehicles by the police.