The Assets Recovery Panel of the Osun State government has directed all former political office holders to immediately return assorted vehicles valued at N2.9 billion presently illegally in their possession.
The Chairman of the Asset Recovery Committee, Dr. B.T Salami reported that due diligence has been conducted and the committee has concluded that the affected past officials should return government vehicles in their possession.
The government in a statement by the spokesperson to the state Governor, Mallam Olawale Rasheed said some of the former officials had gone away with various models of vehicles without any legal basis for such action, adding that presently, there is no law that authorised any elected or appointed officials to go with state vehicles after completing their tenure of office.
“This is the first batch of vehicles to be retrieved. We will soon come up with the second batch. All affected officials should return the vehicles in their possession immediately to avoid coercive procedures for recovery of state assets,” the Committee Chairman said.
In the list of affected officials, Governor Oyetola alone has 11 vehicles ranging from Lexus Jeep, Toyota Prado jeeps and assorted models of costly vehicles. The wife, Mrs. Kafayat also has in her possession several brands of government vehicles which were taken away against provisions of the law.
Beside the former governor and his wife, former officials listed include immediate past Special Adviser on Security, former Chief Details, former Personal Assistant to the Governor, former special assistants to the Governor, former Senior special assistants, former special advisers, former local government caretaker chairmen and members, former board chairmen and members, former Chief of Staff, former Deputy Chief of Staff, former Deputy Governor, former Secretary to the State Government, former commissioners among others.
According to him, the former Deputy Governor has more than seven government vehicles in his custody contrary to the provisions of the law.
“A serving Senator, Oriolowo is also directed to return to the Osun State Agricultural Development Programme five machines namely motor grader, bulldozer, soil compactor machine among others”.
All affected ex-officials are to urgently comply with the above request or risk enforcement procedures, Olawale posited.
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