Mr. Kelly Okungbowa, the Chairman of the Committee set up by the Governor of Edo State, Gov. Monday Okpebholo to recover government vehicles have declared over 200 vehicles missing on Friday. He stated in an interview that the committee recovered three vehicles in a private residence in Benin within 24 hours. Okungbowa said that amongst the three vehicles were two Toyota Hiace buses and one Hilux van.
Still speaking on the success of the Committee to newsmen, he revealed that in one of the Toyota Hiace buses were palliatives meant to have been distributed to the good people of Edo State. The committee rightly recovered them. Contents of the palliative were bags of garri and bags of rice. Okungbowa appealed to the members of the public to cooperate with the committee by having ears on the ground and giving more information. He stressed that it was because of this vital information that the previous three vehicles were found. He assured informants that a heavy and healthy reward was waiting for anyone who could render correct and verifiable information.
“Yesterday, we were inaugurated, and we promised to follow the law to carry out the mandate of Mr Governor which is to recover all missing government vehicles in private hands.
“ We are glad to inform the people of Edo State that we have recorded success within 24 hours of our inauguration.
“I am glad to announce to you that we have recovered one Hilux and two Toyota Hiace buses in private custody.
“We assure Edo people and the State Government that we are going to do the job to the best of our ability. We will make sure we recover all the stolen vehicles”, Okungbowa said in a press statement.
He went on to acknowledge that the vehicles are not private property but an Edo State and its citizens property and it is criminal for a private individual to steal government property. He appealed to other former government officials and other citizens to return the vehicles within 48 hours.
