The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, has dismissed critics accusing him of mishandling security issues, describing their claims as politically motivated propaganda.
In a statement signed by his media aide, Ibrahim Dosara, Matawalle condemned what he called malicious attacks aimed at undermining his reputation. He alleged that these attacks are being driven by politicians whose ambitions for 2027 are threatened by the government’s ongoing security reforms.
“Public service demands courage, consistency, and a commitment to truth. Attempts to drag my name into unrelated events are nothing but desperate political propaganda,” he said.
Matawalle stressed that banditry is a longstanding problem in Zamfara, existing long before his tenure as governor. He highlighted the measures his administration introduced to tackle the crisis, including:
- Structured security operations and high-level committees
- Enhanced intelligence gathering and prosecution of criminals
- Removal of compromised traditional rulers
- Disarmament programmes supported by the military
He also noted that thousands of abducted victims were rescued during his tenure, and 11 Chinese nationals involved in illegal mining were deported, warning that attempts to distort these achievements are politicising citizens’ suffering.
The minister added that Zamfara went over a year without major security incidents due to these interventions. He also recounted facing harassment while helping rescue kidnapped schoolgirls in Kebbi, saying:
“I received harassment and intimidation… but I refused to bow to pressure. Humanity comes first.”
Matawalle insisted that critics are motivated by fear of ongoing defence reforms and the upcoming 2027 political race. He reaffirmed his loyalty to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, stating:
“My loyalty to President Tinubu remains total… no amount of propaganda will influence his decisions.”
