FORMER Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle, has said most of his vehicles taken away by the security agencies from his two houses in Gusau and Maradun were bought before he became a governor.
Matawalle was reacting to Friday’s invasion of his home by security consisting of police and the Department of State Services (DSS).
News Point Nigeria had reported how operatives moved straight to the former governor’s residence and started evacuating the vehicles.
However, speaking to BBC Hausa on Saturday, Matawalle accused the security agents of looting the personal belongings of his wives and children, including clothing materials.
He said he was not issued with a copy of the court order which allowed the security agents to invade his houses as claimed by his successor, Dauda Lawal.
“I have been in the car business for a long period of time and most of the vehicles the security personnel impounded from my two houses are those that I bought from America long before I became a governor,” the immediate past governor stated.
He said some of the vehicles impounded at his residence in Maradun were donated by well-wishers and were all branded with the images of President Tinubu and himself.
“The vehicles they impounded at Maradun were those donated to me by well-wishers and were all branded with my images and that of Bola Ahmed Tinubu. But surprisingly, they said that the vehicles belong to the state government,” he said.
Reacting to the claim by the security agents that 40 vehicles were recovered from his houses, Matawalle said, “The security agents should display the 40 vehicles for the public judgment. Anybody who knows Bello Matawalle will believe that I have been in car business ever since I became the governor of Zamfara State.”
He also alleged that the security agents went beyond the recovery of vehicles and picked up valuables and belongings of his wives and family members.
The former governor said he was in Abuja and nobody called to notify him that his attention was needed in relation to the issue. “But all I heard was that the security agents invaded my private residences as if there is no law and order in Nigeria,” he lamented.
Matawalle said he would not ask the security agents or the state government to return the vehicles, concluding, “I will however follow an appropriate channel as stipulated by the law.”
