The Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCCAC) has recovered five official vehicles from former commissioners who recently resigned from the state executive council, pledging loyalty to the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and its national leader, Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, instead of joining Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s All Progressives Congress (APC).
Operatives of the commission carried out the recovery on Thursday following what it described as the refusal of the former officials to return the vehicles after leaving office.
Those involved include former Commissioner for Internal Security, Air Vice Marshal Ibrahim Umar (retd); former Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Mustapha Rabiu Kwankwaso; former Commissioner for Science and Technology, Dr. Yusuf Ibrahim Kofar Mata; former Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs, Dr. Adamu Aliyu Kibiya; and former Commissioner for Special Projects, Nasiru Sani Garo.
Addressing journalists after the exercise, the commission’s Chairman, Sa’idu Yahaya, said the action followed repeated requests to the former commissioners to return government property in their possession.
He explained that the move was triggered by formal complaints and notifications from the Office of the Secretary to the State Government, the custodian of government vehicles, over alleged abuse of office and the need to retrieve public assets.
“Government assets are not personal property. Once an official leaves office, all government vehicles and assets in their custody must be returned immediately,” Yahaya said.
He added that the commission secured a court order before carrying out the recovery.
“They were advised to return the vehicles to avoid a situation like this, but they refused, leaving us with no alternative but to take action. We followed due process and secured a court order, which was duly granted, to recover the vehicles,” he said.
Yahaya disclosed that although five vehicles were recovered, only two were the original vehicles purchased by the government.
“Investigations revealed that some of the official vehicles had been sold and replaced with others, which we also recovered. We will launch a full-scale investigation to determine whether the official vehicles were sold to procure these ones or otherwise,” he said.
The chairman dismissed claims that the exercise was politically motivated, insisting that the commission acted within its statutory mandate to safeguard public property.
“This is not about witch-hunting anyone. It is about protecting the resources of the people of Kano State. We will not tolerate any form of misconduct or unlawful retention of government property,” he added.
He warned that the commission would continue to monitor the use of public assets and take action against any official found in breach of asset return regulations.
Meanwhile, a retired senior civil servant, Mohammad Tukur, said there was no law permitting a commissioner to retain an official vehicle after leaving office. He explained that official vehicles are provided strictly for the discharge of official duties.
“No law guarantees commissioners the right to keep government vehicles at the end of a successful tenure, whether they are sacked or resign from office,” he said.
Tukur, however, noted that the governor has discretionary powers to allow any official to retain a vehicle after leaving office.
“Under administrative policy, what commissioners are entitled to upon leaving office are certain allowances, not official vehicles. Even then, any commissioner who is sacked or resigns from the cabinet may not be entitled to those severance packages,” he added.
