THE Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission has tracked down and recovered several government-owned vehicles from former commissioners who allegedly failed to return them after leaving office.
News Point Nigeria reports that the recovery exercise, carried out on Thursday morning in Kano, affected a number of high-profile former cabinet members, including Air Vice Marshal Ibrahim Umar, a former Commissioner for Security; Mustapha Rabiu Kwankwaso, former Commissioner for Youth and Sports; Dr. Yusuf Ibrahim Kofar Mata, former Commissioner for Science and Technology; Dr. Adamu Aliyu Kibiya, former Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs; and Hon. Nasiru Sani Garo, former Commissioner for Special Projects.
Mustapha Rabiu Kwankwaso is the son of the National Leader of the New Nigeria People’s Party, Rabiu Kwankwaso.
The operation followed an earlier directive from the Office of the Secretary to the Kano State Government instructing the affected former officials to return all government property in their possession upon resignation.
Chairman of the Commission, Comrade Sa’idu Yahaya, who personally led the recovery team, said the move became necessary after the former commissioners allegedly failed to comply with repeated requests.
“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 during the exercise.
He disclosed that the agency had exhausted administrative procedures before embarking on the enforcement action.
“We gave ample time for voluntary compliance after the Secretary to the State Government’s office wrote to them. Unfortunately, the directive was ignored. We had no option but to enforce compliance in accordance with the law,” he stated.
Yahaya dismissed suggestions that the action was politically motivated, insisting that the Commission’s intervention was purely in line with its statutory responsibility 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 said.
He further warned that the Commission would sustain surveillance on the use and custody of public assets, stressing that similar measures would be taken against any official found to be in breach of asset return regulations.
“Public trust depends on transparency and accountability. We are determined to strengthen both, and we will take appropriate action against anyone found mismanaging or unlawfully holding government property,” Yahaya added.
The Commission reaffirmed that asset recovery remains a critical component of its anti-corruption mandate, describing the protection of state-owned property as essential to maintaining integrity in public service.