The Court of Appeal in Sokoto has upheld the judgment of the Federal High Court dismissing an appeal filed by former Zamfara State governor, Bello Muhammed Matawalle, over the ownership of more than 40 official vehicles seized from him and his cabinet members after he left office in May 2023.
Mr Bello Matawalle who is the incumbent Minister of State for Defence was defeated by Governor Dauda Lawal in the 2023 governorship election in Zamfara State.
Recall that in June 2023, based on a complaint by the Zamfara State Government, the Zamfara State Police command raided the residence of the former governor, seizing more than 40 official vehicles he and his cabinet allegedly carted away before handing over power on 29 May, 2023. A statement by the Spokesperson of the Zamfara State Governor, Sulaiman Bala Idris, said that a three-member panel of the Appeal Court, in a unanimous decision by Hon Justice A M Talba on 08 August 2025, dismissed Bello Matawalle’s appeal.
The Court of Appeal in Appeal No. CS//S/2024 – Bello Muhammed Matawalle vs Nigeria Police & Others held that the decision of the Federal High Court Sokoto division on the right of the Police to investigate allegations of commission of crime was correct. It further held that Bello Matawalle failed to adduce credible evidence to support his claim of ownership of the 40 vehicles recovered from his residence, as such lacks justification to allege that his fundamental right to own property has been breached.
In June 2023, the Zamfara State Government gave former governor Bello Matawalle and his deputy five working days to return all government vehicles in their possession. “However, all attempts to recover these vehicles were unsuccessful, prompting the Zamfara State Government to seek a court order,” the statement pointed out adding that after the order was issued, police recovered over 40 vehicles.
