Kano anti-corruption agency recovers official vehicles from ex-commissioners amidst ‘swap’ allegations
The Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCACC) has successfully recovered several official vehicles from former members of the State Executive Council who resigned their appointments but allegedly refused to return government property.
The recovery operation, which took place on Thursday, targeted five former commissioners following reports of their continued possession of state assets despite exiting office.
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The high-ranking former officials involved in the recovery exercise include AVM Ibrahim Umar (retd), former commissioner for internal 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.
Allegations of ‘vehicle swapping’
Briefing journalists after the operation, PCACC chairman, Sa’idu Yahaya, revealed a startling twist: while five vehicles were recovered, only two matched the original official vehicles purchased by the state government.
“Investigation revealed that the official vehicles had been sold and replaced with other vehicles, which we also recovered,” Yahaya stated. “We will launch a full-scale investigation to determine whether the official vehicles were sold to procure these ones or otherwise.”
The chairman noted that the move was triggered by a formal complaint from the Office of the Secretary to the Kano State Government (SSG), which cited alleged abuse of office and a failure to comply with repeated requests to surrender the assets.
“Not a witch-hunt”
The PCACC boss dismissed claims that the move was politically motivated, insisting the agency was merely performing its statutory duty to safeguard public resources.
“Government assets are not personal property. We followed due process and secured a court order to recover these vehicles. This is not about witch-hunting; it is about protecting the resources of the people of Kano State,” Yahaya added.
He warned that the commission would maintain strict surveillance on the custody of public assets and will not hesitate to take action against any official—past or present—found in breach of asset return regulations.
Clarifying the legal framework surrounding the issue, retired senior civil servant Mohammad Tukur noted that no existing law permits a commissioner to retain an official vehicle upon leaving the cabinet.
“Under administrative policy, commissioners are entitled to certain allowances, not official vehicles, upon leaving office,” Tukur explained. He further clarified that while a governor has the executive discretion to allow an official to keep a vehicle, such a privilege is not an automatic right, particularly for those who resign or are sacked.
The PCACC has vowed to conclude its investigation into the “disappeared” original vehicles to ensure full accountability for the state’s assets.
