NIGERIA: Information shows former Gov Matawalle was fully involved in banditry

We brought to you Tinubu regime as Disaster trying to Succeed the Buhari's regime. In the show Today is Information shows Matawalle was fully involved in banditry — Zamfara government. Zamfara State governor, Dauda Lawal, has alleged that his predecessor and current Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, was involved in banditry activities. Lawal, who made the claim on Wednesday on Television Continental (TVC), alleged that Matawalle kept some bandits in the Zamfara State Government House. He also alleged that when the children of a permanent secretary were kidnapped, ransom was paid through the Government House. "There were a lot of issues in the past with my predecessor, Lawal said. "In fact, let me say this very categorically. If I were him, I would resign and face all the allegations against me. That would have been more honourable because, from all the information we're getting, my predecessor was fully involved in some of these banditry issues.
"Typical is the fact that there was a permanent secretary whose children were abducted; it was unfortunate
that he had to pay a ransom through the Government House. And it was also very clear, based on all the allegations, that bandits were being kept at the Government House. You know, there are so many issues. Describing Matawalle's appointment as Minister of State for Defence by President Bola Tinubu as unfair to the people of Zamfara, Lawal advised the former governor to resign from his position and clear his name.

" So for me, honestly, if I were him, I would step aside and face this allegation until I clear my name before coming back to continue my job, he added. "That would have been more honourable. And how can you imagine all these allegations against him, and he's still the Minister of Defence? I mean, that is unfair.
"This man could have been honourable, stayed aside, faced all these allegations, cleared his name, and then come back and continue to do whatever he wants to do." He stated that whether Matawalle wanted to remain as a minister or pursue something else, stepping aside would have been more honourable in his view, adding that if
he was in his predecessor's position, he would resign.

On September 20, 2024, Matawalle publicly swore with Quran that he had no link with bandits – Shinkafi replies Dauda. Sani Shinkafi, a former governorship candidate in Zamfara State and ex-Special Adviser to erstwhile governor, Bello Matawalle, has warned the governor of the state, Dauda Lawal, to desist from sharing what he (Shinkafi) described as false allegations against fellow politicians from the state.

According to him, some of the governor’s actions depict a man who is ignorant of the law and afraid of the Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Matawalle’s rising profile. Shinkafi wants Lawal to clear his name over an alleged leaked memo on his government’s link with bandits that has gone viral on social media. DAILY POST reports that a memo appeared on social media recently, showing how the government allegedly paid bandits. In a counter-allegation, Governor Lawal accused his predecessor of involvement in banditry activities. According to the governor, the minister was shielding bandits and keeping some of them in the Zamfara State Government House. He stated this on Wednesday in an interview with TVC, demanding that Matawalle resign his position as Minister of State for Defence, adding that such people are not fit to be in charge of the nation’s security.

In a statement he signed and made available to the media on Friday under the Patriots for Peace and Social Development, Shinkafi urged members of the public not to be deceived by the governor.

“It has become necessary to set the record straight to ensure that members of the public will not be misled and deceived by the tissue of lies, political sentiment, and power intoxication of the governor, who ought to be an embodiment of patriotism,” the statement said.

“It has been the pastime of Governor Lawal to rush to television stations to disparage Dr. Bello Matawalle, permanently angry that President Bola Tinubu appointed him the Minister of State for Defence against his wish, as if his myopic political interest should supersede national interest at a time of unprecedented insecurity in the country.

Matawalle, a devout Muslim, publicly held the Holy Quran in Government House Gusau and swore that he had no link with bandits.

“The Deputy Governor, Commissioners, Special Advisers, and Permanent Secretaries also took the same oath. It is unfortunate that Dauda Lawal would be on national television stations to blackmail him with impunity, leveraging his immunity as a serving governor as if being a governor is a license to insult fellow citizens.

“In a flagrant show of executive rascality, Governor Lawal has displaced his media aides as an unguarded attack dog, setting aside decency, decorum, and dignity expected of a governor, to the embarrassment of the good people of Zamfara State.

“It is obvious that Matawalle inherited armed banditry from the government of his predecessor, Senator Abdulaziz Yari. He set out to tackle it head-on, adopting kinetic and non-kinetic approaches, which yielded positive results, leading to the voluntary surrender of over 5,000 locally made guns, AK-47s, AK-49s, rocket launchers, general-purpose machine guns, and chains of arms and ammunition by repentant bandits and defunct Yansakai, in the presence of then-Governor Bello Matawalle, security chiefs in Zamfara State, traditional rulers, Islamic scholars, etc.

“Government is a continuum; instead of focusing on good governance, Dauda Lawal would either junket around the globe seeking elusive investments while the state burns or jump from one television station to another reeling out unfounded allegations against the Hon. Minister of State for Defence, in a clear case of inferiority complex and incompetence.

“This politics of bitterness is outdated, uncivilized, and capable of derailing the nation’s hard-earned democracy.

“Governor Lawal’s outbursts on national television stations were a serious disservice to the nation and an embarrassment to the good people of Zamfara State.

“Lawal allowed his increasing fear of Matawalle to blindfold him and question his patriotism. It is sad that Governor Lawal has reduced governance to propaganda and child’s play.

“His call for Matawalle to resign and clear his name of alleged financial impropriety while in office as governor is laughable and a joke taken too far.

“It shows that Lawal is totally ignorant of the meaning of false allegations and indictment by a court of competent jurisdiction.”

Who is Bello Matawalle? He previously served as the governor of Zamfara State from 2019 to 2023. And now Minister of State for Defence, Incumbent. Who Assumed office 21 August 2023 under Bola Tinubu administration.

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