The long-running tussle between former Zamfara governor, now Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, and the Zamfara State Government over the ownership of official vehicles has finally tilted in the government’s favour.
The Court of Appeal in Sokoto has declared that the vehicles in question cannot be regarded as the personal property of the former governor.
The issue first came to light shortly after Matawalle left office in May 2023.
The incoming Zamfara administration accused him, his deputy, and members of his cabinet of leaving with dozens of government vehicles.
In response, an ultimatum was issued in June 2023, giving them five working days to return the vehicles. When this directive was ignored, the state government turned to the courts.
A search order was obtained, and the Nigeria Police moved into Matawalle’s residence. The operation led to the recovery of more than 40 official vehicles, sparking a heated legal contest.
Matawalle did not accept the action quietly. He approached the Federal High Court in Gusau, where he initially secured a temporary order directing that the vehicles be handed back to him.
He also argued separately that seizing the vehicles amounted to a violation of his fundamental right to own property.
The Zamfara government countered by requesting a transfer of the matter to the Sokoto Division of the Federal High Court.
In December 2023, that court dismissed Matawalle’s case entirely, concluding that he had failed to prove ownership and that the vehicles legally belonged to the state.
Still dissatisfied, Matawalle advanced his case to the Court of Appeal. But on August 8, 2025, a three-member panel led by Justice A.M. Talba unanimously dismissed his appeal.
The court upheld the earlier decision that the police acted within their powers when they investigated and recovered the vehicles.
The judges also ruled that Matawalle had not provided any credible documentation or evidence that the seized vehicles were his private property. Without such proof, the claim that his constitutional rights were violated could not stand.
Following the verdict, the spokesperson of the Zamfara State Governor, Sulaiman Bala Idris, issued a statement applauding the decision.
He explained that the judgment affirms the principle that government assets cannot be converted into private property simply because someone once held public office.
By this ruling, the seized vehicles remain the property of the Zamfara State Government, while the door remains open for law enforcement agencies to continue investigations and, if necessary, pursue prosecution.
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