Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, has alleged that the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, is involved with banditry activities in the state, and claimed that both President Bola Tinubu and National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu are aware of the situation.
Lawal revealed in a statement on Tuesday that he had reported Matawalle, who is a former governor of Zamfara, to both the NSA and the President, presenting them with evidence of the minister’s alleged connections to the bandits terrorizing Zamfara.
This allegation comes after Matawalle vehemently denied any involvement with the bandits, following public accusations. In an interview with Channels Television, Matawalle challenged Governor Lawal and retired General Ali Gusau to swear by the Holy Quran that they have no ties to the criminal elements ravaging the North-West.
Matawalle defended his decision to engage in dialogue with bandits during his tenure as governor, claiming it was a strategy aimed at reducing the violence in the region. He also pointed out that governors from neighboring states like Niger, Sokoto, and Katsina had adopted similar approaches.
However, Lawal’s administration remains firm in its accusation. In an interview, Lawal’s Chief Press Secretary, Sulaiman Idris, labeled Matawalle’s denial as false and announced that the governor would soon release concrete evidence to the media. According to Idris, Governor Lawal had already sworn by the Quran during a previous event, denying any involvement in the banditry and calling for divine punishment for anyone responsible.
“He (Matawalle) is lying. We mentioned names. He needs to explain his relationship with them,” said Idris. He claimed that Matawalle had provided bandits with Hilux vehicles, money, and foodstuffs during his tenure as governor, stating that both President Tinubu and NSA Ribadu had been informed of these facts. Idris promised to release further evidence to the public in response to Matawalle’s challenge.
Attempts to reach the National Security Adviser’s office for comment were unsuccessful, as calls and messages to spokesperson Zakari Mijinyawa went unanswered. The Nigerian Police and the Defence Media Operations have also yet to issue statements regarding the matter.
As the allegations continue to unfold, the tension between Zamfara’s current and former governors deepens, with both sides challenging each other over accountability for the region’s persistent banditry crisis.
