Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, has accused the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, of being deeply complicit in banditry during his tenure as the State’s Governor....READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE ▶▶
Lawal further claimed that Matawalle, while in office, harbored bandits within the Zamfara State government house.
These allegations were made on Wednesday, September 18, with Lawal also calling for Matawalle’s immediate resignation from his ministerial role.
Governor Lawal said, “There were a lot of issues in the past with my predecessor. In fact, let me say this is very categorical. If I were him, I would resign and face all the allegations against me. And that would have been more honorable 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 when his children were abducted; it was unfortunate that he had to pay ransom through the government house. And it was also very clear based on all the allegations that bandits were being kept at government house. You know, there are so many issues.”
The Governor of Zamfara State expressed that President Bola Tinubu’s decision to appoint former Governor Bello Matawalle as Minister of State for Defence was unjust to the people of Zamfara.
He urged Matawalle to step down from his position and focus on clearing his name.
“So for me, honestly, if I were him, I would step aside and face this allegation until I clear my name before I come back and continue my job. That should have been more honorable. And how can you imagine all these allegations against him? And he’s still the Minister of Defense. I mean, that is unfair.
“This man could have been honorable, stay aside, face all these allegations, clear his name and then come back and continue to do whatever he wants to do. Whether he wants to remain as minister or he wants to do something else, that would have been more honorable as far as I’m concerned. If I’m in that position, believe me, I’ll put in my resignation letter,” Governor Lawal added.
Matawalle served as the Zamfara State governor from 2019 to 2023.
