The governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal, has alleged that his predecessor, now the Minister of Defense under President Tinubu regime, Bello Matawalle’s is deeply involved in the issue of banditry that has plagued the Northern Nigeria.
Lawal made the claim on TVC’s Politics Tonight program on Wednesday night, citing credible information.
“From all the informations we’re getting, my Predecessor was fully involved in some of this banditry issue,” the governor was quoted as saying.
This shocking revelation comes amidst the incessant activities of bandits in northern Nigeria, particularly in Zamfara, Kaduna, and Katsina states. Unfortunately, Lawal’s accusation is not the first time Matawalle has been accused ofsponsoring banditry.
A Notorious bandit leader, Kachallah Bello Turji had made a similar claim in a a video statement in July. The bandit leader had insisted that Matawalle is among those supporting terrorism in Nigeria’s North West region.
Even while Matawalle denied the claim through his media consultant, Deyemi Saka labelling it as unfounded, Turji had maintained his stance.
The ongoing accusations against the Defense Minister paint a bleak picture, highlighting the extent of political involvement in major crises in the country. These issues appear to be weaponized and funded by politicians for their own gain. However, it would be unwise to judge solely based on allegations; further investigation is essential to uncover the truth.
