..says Matawalle Looted State’s Treasury
By Udesinanna Stephen
The Governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal has given the former state Governor, Bello Matawalle, five days to return allegedly taken Government vehicles, saying that his Predecessor “looted the state’s treasury.”
The Governor made this known in a statement issued to the press and on digital platforms and signed by his spokesman, Sulaiman Bala Idris.
The Governor said, “We have communicated officially to former Governor Bello Matawalle and his Deputy to return all the missing vehicles within five working days.”
This is coming a few weeks after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had said it was probing Matawalle for alleged N70 billion fraud.
The statement reads, “We have the facts and records available that exposed Matawalle’s impropriety. Where is the lie? A contract was awarded by the former governor for the purchase of vehicles to be distributed to dignitaries and Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) at the cost of N1,149,800,000.
“The money was meant for the purchase of a Toyota Lexus VIP Bullet Proof 2021 Model; Toyota Land Cruiser VIP Bullet Proof 2021 Model; Toyota Prado V6 2021 Model; Toyota Prado V4 2021 Model; Peugeot 2021 Model; Toyota Hilux 2021 Model; Toyota Land Cruiser Bullet Proof 2021; and Toyota Lexus 2021 Model.
“It is the height of indignity for the Zamfara APC to continue to fizzle at a time when all the above official vehicles were looted by the immediate past government. None of the vehicles are available in the Government House. This is a show of shame, not only to the state chapter of the APC but to anyone justifying the action of Matawalle.”