The Sokoto State Committee for the Review of Wasteful and Unnecessary Government Assets, in a jaw-dropping expose, revealed on Thursday that former Governor Aminu Tambuwal’s appointees made off with a staggering 745 government vehicles, with only 32 recovered and 40 allegedly smuggled to Niger Republic.
Presenting the alarming findings, committee chairman Alhaji Jelani Kalgo disclosed that the committee also discovered a government property sold for N60 million, but only N30 million was remitted, as reported by The Punch.
The shocking details include a disconcerting list of vehicles, from graders to water tankers, taken beyond state and even national boundaries.
Kalgo expressed the committee’s frustration, stating, “Three hundred and two vehicles were in the possession of former commissioners, special advisers and chief executives while 443 were under the possession of local government areas.
“The committee discovered that about 40 vehicles were released on hire to private individuals and were taken beyond the boundaries of the local government areas; some beyond the boundary of the state and some beyond the boundary of Nigeria to as far as Niger Republic.
“The vehicles include six graders, six payloaders, three rollers, nine tippers, four water tankers and two fire service tankers, among others. This is very disturbing.
“We have so far retrieved 32 vehicles from former government officials, including commissioners, special advisers and chief executives of ministries, departments and agencies.
Despite efforts, 70% of the 443 vehicles found in local government areas were reported as grounded, some even hidden in obscure locations within the state metropolis. Kalgo lamented that the recovery efforts were hindered by a shortage of funds.
Governor Ahmed Aliyu, while thanking the committee, pledged to scrutinize the report and take necessary actions. Attempts to reach the former Commissioner for Information, Akibu Dalhatu, and the ex-governor’s Special Adviser on Media, Mohammed Bello, for their reactions proved unsuccessful.
