Tinubu’s minister under fire for alleged link with bandits
The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, is under fire after being linked with terrorism in the country.
Matawalle is alleged to have procured vehicles for bandit leaders, including a notorious kingpin, Bello Turji, and others while serving as Zamfara State Governor.
The current state governor, Dauda Lawal, who appeared on TVC, a national television station, on Wednesday, urged the minister to resign.
He said, “If I were him (Matawalle), I would resign and face all the allegations against me because, from all the information we are getting, my predecessor was fully involved in some of this banditry.”
According to Lawal, the former governor kept terrorists at the government house, and ransom was paid to terrorists through the government.
“In May 2023, there was this allegation of misappropriation of N70bn. We realised that the N70bn was a child’s play compared to what we have. This information is before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and I wonder how this guy was cleared by the security operatives to become a minister.
“We are still waiting to hear from the EFCC; the case has been on for a year now. This is people’s money; we need the money in Zamfara to address the challenges we are facing.”
A presidential aide contacted to speak on the matter declined comment.
“You will get the answer to your question when the President announces the new cabinet list soon,” the source said.
Previous accusations
It is not the first time Matawalle will face accusation of sponsoring banditry.
In January 2022, while serving as state governor under the All Progressives Congress, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party had called for Matawalle’s resignation over alleged banditry sponsorship.
The APC had countered the allegation, insisting it was because he defected from the PDP to the party at the time.
An Islamic cleric, Bello Asada, also accused him of sponsoring bandits.
In a video seen by Saturday PUNCH, Asada, who spoke in Hausa, alleged that Matawalle procured vehicles for Turji and other bandits.
He said, “You didn’t love especially because of God. Murtala Bello said your godfather has bought vehicles for terrorists, among them is this Halilu Subububu. The defence (state) minister has bought a brand new car and given it to him (is he not the one who’s called ‘Wankin Dan Kanoma’). There is also Ada Aleru.
“I know that he has purchased about 34 vehicles and distributed them to leaders of terrorists. He (Halilu) who I was accused of purchasing a car; was the Zamfara State governor who gave him a brand new 2019 model Hilux, not a second-hand car. People like Ado Aleru were given. I was with the police; Bello Turji was given.
“Decent people like the police, military, and civil defence who are looking for Hilux were not given, only for them to use our money to buy brand new Hiluxes for terrorists.”
Asada further questioned why Turji, despite being a notorious criminal with a visible presence on social media, had not been captured.
Turji has terrorised Zamfara State by killing, kidnapping, and extorting residents for nearly nine years.
His activities gained public attention after a series of videos surfaced on social media, where he also accused Matawalle of sponsoring banditry in the state.
