Nigerian Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, is under fire after allegedly being linked with terrorism and banditry in the country.
Matawalle is alleged to have procured vehicles for bandit leaders, including a notorious kingpin, Bello Turji, and others while serving as Zamfara State Governor.
Current state governor, Dauda Lawal, who appeared on a national television station, TVC, on Wednesday, urged the Minister to resign.
Lawal said: “If I were him (Matawalle), I would resign and face all the allegations against me because, from all the information we are getting, my predecessor was fully involved in some of this banditry.”
According to the governor, the former governor kept terrorists at the government house, and ransom was paid to terrorists through the government.
“In May 2023, there was this allegation of misappropriation of N70bn. We realised that the N70bn was a child’s play compared to what we have. This information is before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and I wonder how this guy was cleared by the security operatives to become a Minister.
“We are still waiting to hear from the EFCC; the case has been on for a year now. This is people’s money; we need the money in Zamfara to address the challenges we are facing.”
It is not the first time Matawalle will face accusation of sponsoring banditry.
In January 2022, while serving as state governor under the All Progressives Congress (APC), the opposition Peoples Democratic Party had called for Matawalle’s resignation over alleged banditry sponsorship.
APC countered the allegation, insisting it was because he defected from the PDP to the party at the time.