Members of the APC Akida Forum, a faction of the ruling All Progressives Congress, have called for an investigation into allegations linking the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, to banditry.
The group staged a protest on Tuesday at the Department of State Services, DSS, headquarters in Abuja, demanding that President Bola Tinubu relieve Matawalle of his duties pending the outcome of ongoing investigation.
Led by the forum’s chairperson, Musa Mahmud, the protesters submitted a petition requesting the DSS to investigate the minister’s alleged connections to bandits.
“The severe matters strike at the heart of governance, security, and the welfare of the people of Zamfara State and should not be handled lightly,” the group’s petition stated
“It encompasses matters of life and death, economic survival, and the fundamental human rights of the citizens of Zamfara State, the North West, and Nigeria as a whole. Failing to address these issues could hurt our party and the reputation of relevant security agencies.”
Mahmud urged the DSS to probe Matawalle’s alleged links with individuals such as Bello Tagoji, Musa Kamarawa, and Ardon Zuru, identified as dangerous figures in Zamfara State’s insecurity.
According to the petition, “Kachalla Auwalun Daudawa is a bandit who abducted the Kankara students in 2020. There are heavy allegations that Matawalle bought a house for him in the Damba area of Gusau, the capital of Zamfara State.
“When Tagoji, a bandit warlord, was arrested in January 2023, the Commissioner of Security, DIG Mamman Tsafe, bailed him out on Matawalle’s directive.”
The APC Akida forum’s protest follows previous accusations by Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal, who alleged that Matawalle, his predecessor, housed terrorists at the Government House and used government funds to pay ransoms during his tenure as governor.
Lawal claimed he had presented evidence to President Tinubu and the National Security Adviser, further calling for Matawalle’s resignation to allow an unhindered investigation.
Matawalle has repeatedly denied the allegations, labelling them as “baseless” and part of an effort to tarnish his image. He went ahead to publicly challenge both Lawal and retired General Ali Gusau to swear by the Qur’an that they had no involvement in Zamfara’s banditry.
Defence Headquarters also confirmed ongoing investigations into banditry sponsorship in the Northwest, with Major General Edward Buba, the Director of Media Operations, stating that “relevant agencies are doing a good job” and that announcements on the matter are expected soon.
Meanwhile, the Tinubu Youth Network, another APC support group, has added to calls for Matawalle’s resignation, stressing that the allegations against him could harm the party’s reputation.
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