The Zamfara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has dismissed claims linking Minister of State for Defence Bello Mohammed Matawalle to banditry as part of a politically motivated campaign.
The party described the allegations as an attempt to pressure President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to remove Matawalle from office.
In a statement issued on Sunday, signed by APC Publicity Secretary Yusuf Idris Gusau, the party cited video recordings in which bandit leader Bello Turji denied ever working for or being sponsored by Matawalle, either during his tenure as governor or as minister.
The APC alleged that the Zamfara State Government under Governor Dauda Lawal has continued to promote claims linking Matawalle to insecurity using public resources.
The party further claimed that individuals, including religious figures, political agents, and protesters, were mobilised across Northern Nigeria and parts of the South to propagate narratives against the minister, with one individual allegedly admitting to receiving state funds.
Highlighting previous controversies, the APC raised questions over the release of Musa Kamarawa, a suspected bandit arrested during Matawalle’s governorship for alleged gun-running and banditry-related offences, calling for investigations by security agencies, the National Judicial Council, the Nigerian Bar Association, and civil society organisations.
The APC emphasised that appointments into sensitive national offices, such as Matawalle’s, require comprehensive security clearance, rejecting all claims linking him to criminal elements.
The party also cited the minister’s peace initiatives during his governorship, which reportedly led to the surrender of arms, reopening of markets, and improved security in parts of Zamfara State.
The statement concluded by urging the public to disregard what it described as unfounded and politically motivated allegations against Bello Matawalle, noting they were connected to internal tensions within the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
