Defence Minister debunks allegations of sponsoring banditry made by Zamfara Governor
Dr. Bello Matawalle, the Minister of State for Defence, has rejected claims made by Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal, alleging that he is involved in banditry in the region.
In response to the accusations, Matawalle’s office stated that the governor has a history of making such allegations against him, which the Minister has consistently denied.
Matawalle’s office pointed to a statement from his media team, categorically refuting any links to banditry or terrorism.
This follows similar accusations from the wanted bandit leader Bello Turji, which Matawalle described as unfounded attempts to undermine his reputation.
The statement, signed by the Lead Partner at Lambert and Curtis, Dayemi Saka, partly reads: “Our attention has been drawn to a video shared on the X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook page in which baseless, malicious, unfounded, mischievous and deliberate concocted lies were told against the Honourable Minister of State for Defense, H.E Dr. Bello Muhammed Matawalle.
“We are not unmindful of the sustained attacks on the person, integrity, and patriotic sense of duty of our client.
“What we find disheartening and despicable is the brazen disregard for public safety and national security.
“While the video speaks to its discredibility, it is pertinent to address the outlandish allegations made by Bello Turji, a wanted kingpin of banditry.
“It is noteworthy that the efforts of the honourable minister of state, while as Governor of Zamfara State between 2019 and 2023, saw banditry and all other sundry of criminality tackled head-on.
“His demonstration of the strength of Character by insisting he was not going to negotiate with Bandits after the closure of the amnesty window for them to lay down their arms, and strong insistence of Bello Turji doing such is enough motivation for the hatchet man job is he doing.
“All arms seized, recovered, and received from bandits were submitted at Government House Gusau, and there is a record for it.
“The Government House does not have armoury, and it is also on record that the cache of arms was handed over to relevant security agencies of government.
“Anyone with basic knowledge of psychoanalysis of a terrorist and deranged mind like Turji will know that he is engaging in ‘victim mentality.’”
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