Matawalle insecurity claims dominated public debate on Sunday after the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, alleged that some politicians are deliberately fueling violence to weaken President Bola Tinubu’s administration ahead of the 2027 elections.
Speaking during an interview with DCL Hausa, Matawalle said the same political strategy undermined former President Goodluck Jonathan before the 2015 general election.
According to him, the politicians now demanding his removal played roles in a failed attempt to destabilise the government through military channels.
Matawalle Insecurity Claims Include Failed Coup Allegation
Matawalle said the growing campaign against him connects directly to an investigation he is helping to conduct.
“The real reason behind this campaign for my removal is simple,” he said. “Those driving it are involved in a failed plan to topple the government, and I am part of the team investigating them.”
He explained that investigators are tracing contacts linked to what he described as unpatriotic actors. He added that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is examining financial trails connected to the alleged plot.
Release of Schoolgirls Intensified Pressure — Matawalle
The defence minister also linked the attacks against him to his involvement in the release of abducted schoolgirls in Birnin Kebbi.
He argued that his critics now exploit insecurity as a political weapon against Tinubu, echoing events that preceded the 2015 power shift.
Matawalle Defends Zamfara Peace Strategy
Addressing criticism over his tenure as Zamfara State governor from 2019 to 2023, Matawalle rejected allegations that he supported banditry.
Instead, he challenged his accusers to present evidence in court. He warned that baseless claims could attract legal consequences.
Matawalle defended the Zamfara peace dialogue by comparing it to the Niger Delta Amnesty Programme initiated under late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.
He said similar peace efforts in Katsina and Niger states later produced improved security outcomes in parts of Kaduna State.
Minister Lists Outcomes of Zamfara Peace Deal
According to Matawalle, the peace initiative received approval from the federal government under late President Muhammadu Buhari. Traditional rulers and clerics, he added, also supported the process.
He claimed the initiative led to the surrender of about 2,000 weapons, the release of captives, and the reopening of farms and markets.
He also said a committee later indicted and removed some traditional rulers linked to the crisis.
Clash With Successor Deepens Political Tension
Matawalle accused his successor, Zamfara Governor Dauda Lawal, of driving the campaign against him. Lawal belongs to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“My successor believes smear campaigns offer the only path to political survival,” Matawalle said.
He reaffirmed his innocence and recalled swearing on the Holy Qur’an that he played no role in Zamfara’s insecurity.
Matawalle concluded that the investigation into the alleged saboteurs would continue, regardless of his position.
When contacted, Governor Lawal’s spokesperson, Suleiman Bala, said the governor had no role in any campaign against the minister.
