*Office Is a Trust, Not an Ownership – KNSG Responds to Critics*

The Kano State Government has defended its decision to recover official vehicles from former commissioners, insisting that public property cannot be converted into personal assets after leaving office.
The position was articulated by Barrister Aminu Hussaini, Special Adviser to Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf on Justice and Constitutional Matters, who described the move as a lawful and necessary step to safeguard public resources.
According to Hussaini, the recent action taken by the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti Corruption Commission was carried out in line with due process and backed by a valid court order.
“In every functioning democracy, public assets belong to the people, not to individuals temporarily entrusted with power,” he stated.
He emphasized that holding public office is a temporary responsibility held in trust for citizens, stressing that all government assets including vehicles, equipment and facilities , are purchased with public funds and remain the exclusive property of the state.
“The office itself is not owned by anyone. It is a public trust. Vehicles and other official tools are attached to the position, not the individual occupying it,” Hussaini explained.
He dismissed claims that official vehicles should be treated as entitlements after leaving office, describing such arguments as inconsistent with both legal principles and good governance standards.
“An official vehicle is assigned strictly for the execution of public duties. Once those duties cease, the privilege also ceases,” he added.
The Special Adviser clarified that the government did not deploy force or act in secrecy, but instead followed legal procedures in reclaiming the vehicles from former commissioners who had resigned from their positions.
While acknowledging that affected former officials have cited statutory provisions to justify retaining the vehicles, Hussaini maintained that government property remains state owned unless a competent court rules otherwise.
“If every departing political appointee reinterprets entitlement laws in their favour, the state treasury would suffer,” he warned.
He further noted that accountability should not be misconstrued as political persecution, insisting that the issue transcends political alignments.
Observers say the development has reignited debate over the management of public assets and the culture of entitlement in Nigeria’s political system.
Hussaini concluded that disputes over asset ownership should be resolved through the courts, not through resistance to lawful recovery.
“The people of Kano deserve leaders who understand that public office is a loan, not a legacy. When the tenure ends, the keys must be returned to the rightful owners , the public,” he said.