The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, is facing significant backlash following allegations of his connections to terrorism in Nigeria. Reports suggest that while he was the Governor of Zamfara State, Matawalle facilitated the procurement of vehicles for various bandit leaders, including the infamous kingpin Bello Turji.
In a recent appearance on TVC, a national television network, the current governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal, called for Matawalle’s resignation in light of these serious accusations.
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.”
Lawal alleged that the former governor housed terrorists at the government mansion and that ransom payments to these criminals were facilitated through the state 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 approached for comments on the issue chose to remain silent.
“You will get the answer to your question when the President announces the new cabinet list soon,” the source said.
This is not the first instance of Matawalle being accused of supporting banditry. In January 2022, while he was still the governor under the All Progressives Congress (APC), the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) demanded his resignation over claims of sponsoring banditry. The APC defended Matawalle, asserting that the accusations were politically motivated due to his recent defection from the PDP. Additionally, an Islamic cleric named Bello Asada also leveled accusations against him for allegedly financing bandits.
Asada further raised concerns about why Bello Turji, a well-known criminal with a prominent presence on social media, had not yet been apprehended. Turji has been a source of terror in Zamfara State for nearly nine years, engaging in killings, kidnappings, and extortion of residents. His actions attracted significant public attention following the release of several videos on social media, in which he also accused Matawalle of financing banditry in the region.
Between 2019 and 2023, while serving as governor, the minister initiated an amnesty program for terrorists in Zamfara State. However, in a video released in July 2024, Turji asserted that the scheme merely strengthened certain individuals among his peers. According to Premium Times, Turji mentioned that he eliminated one of the bandit leaders in his Shinkafi Local Government Area to restore peace, but claimed that the governor later undermined his efforts.
