The Court of Appeal in Sokoto has upheld the Federal High Court’s decision dismissing the appeal filed by former governor Bello Matawalle, challenging the decision that the official vehicles he allegedly carted away after he lost the 2023 election were his personal property.
In June 2023, based on a complaint by the Zamfara State government, the Zamfara police raided the residence of Matawalle, seizing more than 40 official vehicles in his possession.
A statement by the spokesman of the Zamfara State governor, Sulaiman Idris, said a three-member panel of the Appeal Court, in a unanimous decision by Justice A.M Talba on 08 August 2025, dismissed Matawalle’s appeal.
According to him, the Court of Appeal in Appeal No. CS//S/2024 – Bello Muhammed Matawalle vs Nigeria Police & Others, held that the decision of the Federal High Court Sokoto division on the right of the Police to investigate allegations of commission of crime was correct, CHANNELS TV reported yesterday.
It further held that Matawalle failed to adduce credible evidence to support his claim of ownership of the 40 vehicles recovered from his residence, as such lacks justification to allege that his fundamental right to own property has been breached.
