Edo State officials from the previous administration have been given a 48-hour ultimatum to return all government vehicles in their possession, following an announcement by Kelly Okungbowa, Chairman of the committee tasked with recovering the vehicles.

Speaking in Benin City on Friday, Okungbowa revealed that over 200 government vehicles are currently unaccounted for and urged former officials and citizens holding onto them to comply with the directive promptly.

The committee has made notable progress, recovering three vehicles in just 24 hours from a private residence. Among the recovered vehicles were a Hilux van and two Toyota Hiace buses. During the recovery, the committee also discovered palliatives bags of garri and rice, intended for distribution to Edo residents inside one of the buses.

Okungbowa emphasized the importance of public cooperation, urging citizens to report any information on the missing vehicles. He promised that whistleblowers who provide valid tips would be rewarded.

“Within 24 hours, we have made success and recovered some vehicles,” Okungbowa said, adding that security agencies are backing the recovery efforts, which have faced no resistance so far.

With reports indicating that over 200 government vehicles remain missing, Okungbowa appealed to the public for more assistance in locating them. He stressed that the vehicles are public property and must be returned to the state.

“We will make sure we recover all the stolen vehicles,” he assured, promising to continue the recovery efforts with the support of the public.