Mixed Reactions Trails Jigawa Government Vehicle Donations To The Police Amidst Breach Of Government Regulations – Suleiman D Suleiman
Fresh controversy is brewing in Jigawa State over the government’s recent donation of 10 Toyota Hilux vehicles to the Nigeria Police Force, amid allegations that the procurement process breached both federal and state procurement laws.
The vehicles, valued at over ₦827 million, were presented to the Commissioner of Police, Muhammed Dahiru, and the Commander of the 35 Police Mobile Force, ACP Baba Haruna, during a brief handover ceremony at the Government House, Dutse, on October 31, 2025.
A statement from the Office of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), signed by the Public Relations Officer, Ismaila Ibrahim Dutse, described the donation as “a significant step toward strengthening security and enhancing crime-fighting capacity across the state.”
However, findings revealed that the vehicles were procured and delivered before the State Executive Council gave official approval — a move observers say contravenes both the Public Procurement Act (PPA) 2007 (as amended) and the Jigawa State Due Process and Project Monitoring Bureau Law, 2019.
It was four days after the donation the the state’s Commissioner for Information, Youth, Sports and Culture, Sagir Musa Ahmed, announced that the Executive Council at its meeting presided over by Governor Umar Namadi, approved the procurement of the 10 Toyota Hilux vehicles (2020 model) worth ₦760,080,000, and 50 Hunter-brand motorcycles valued at ₦67 million, bringing the total cost to ₦827,080,000.
Sources within the Government House confided in our reporter that the vehicles had already been purchased and distributed before the council’s approval.
According to the insider who requested anonymity, “The contract was awarded verbally to one of the council members before formal approval. No due process certificate was issued, and there was no record of advertisement, bidding, or evaluation as required by law.”
Efforts to obtain clarification from the Information Commissioner proved unsuccessful, as calls and text messages to his mobile line were not responded to as of press time.
Legal Breaches and Implications
Section 16(1)(a–b) of the Public Procurement Act (PPA) 2007 provides that all public procurements must be conducted “in a transparent, timely, equitable manner and based on open competitive bidding.”
Similarly, Section 24(1) of the Act states that no procurement shall take place without prior approval, budgetary provision, and certification of “No Objection” by the appropriate procurement entity.
In the same vein, the Jigawa State Due Process and Project Monitoring Bureau Law (2019) mandates that all contracts above ₦50 million must undergo open competitive bidding and certification by the Bureau before execution.
Any procurement executed before such approval is deemed a violation of due process, attracting administrative and criminal sanctions.
The Public Procurement (Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences) Regulations, 2020 (PPCL) further criminalizes infractions such as collusion, bid rigging, contract splitting, and unauthorized contract awards, prescribing five to ten years’ imprisonment without an option of fine for offenders.
Legal experts say the alleged government’s actions amount to a “pre-award procurement offense” that undermines transparency, accountability, and value for money in governance.
“By purchasing and donating vehicles before formal approval, the government clearly breached both state and federal procurement statutes. This constitutes abuse of process,” a procurement law analyst told Trustbase News in Dutse.
Under the PPA 2007 and PPCL 2020, offenses relating to procurement violations fall under the jurisdiction of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), which are empowered to investigate and prosecute such cases.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the Jigawa State Due Process Bureau nor the Office of the Auditor-General has issued any official statement on the alleged violation.
Observers say the unfolding controversy raises broader questions about governance and accountability in Jigawa state, especially as Governor Umar Namadi’s administration has repeatedly pledged transparency and prudent financial management under its “New Agenda for Greater Jigawa”.
By: Suleiman D Suleiman,
Dutse.
