Minister of State for Defence and former Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle, has dismissed accusations of supporting banditry, challenging his accusers to present evidence to back their claims. In a televised interview on Channels TV on Tuesday, September 24, Matawalle defended his record, particularly his approach of engaging in dialogue with bandits, which he says has been successful in recovering abducted persons and weapons in Zamfara.
"They should bring any proof of that. I engaged in dialogue, and I wasn’t the only one. Governors of Niger, Sokoto, and other states also pursued dialogue with bandits. But I’m singled out, maybe because Zamfara is a complex state with terrible human beings with devilish ideas," Matawalle stated. He also insinuated that his accusers are themselves involved in the very activities they accuse him of.
Matawalle recalled that he had taken an oath on the Holy Quran, swearing that he had no involvement in banditry. "If I am happy with what is happening, or if I am part of it, or know those doing it, or collaborate with them, may God not give me one second of grace," he declared, further challenging politicians such as General Ali Gusau and Governor Dauda Lawal to take a similar oath. "None of them could take the oath, and if they don't, it means they are part of it."
The minister stressed that his fearlessness in addressing criminal elements in Zamfara has made him unpopular with some. "The people who oppose me do so because I go after them," he stated, asserting that many of those behind the accusations are politicians.
Matawalle highlighted the successes of his dialogue strategy, which led to the recovery of weapons and the release of thousands of abductees, including foreign nationals. "We achieved significant success without paying a single kobo in ransom," he added.
The former Zamfara governor also responded to allegations of corruption by the current governor, Dauda Lawal, who accused Matawalle of embezzling over N70 billion from the state. Matawalle dismissed these claims as lies, questioning Lawal's changing figures. "First, he said N70 billion, then it became N240 billion. This is someone who doesn’t know what he’s talking about."
He criticized Governor Lawal for allegedly deceiving the public and not focusing on governance. "I pity Dauda. He should focus on delivering good governance and addressing insecurity in Zamfara. Governance is a continuous process, and tomorrow, someone else will be in his seat," Matawalle concluded.
Matawalle further condemned attempts to blackmail him, insisting that despite the hate, he has no regrets for his actions, which he believes brought stability to the troubled state.
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