The Zamfara State Government has accused the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, of engaging in harassment against political opponents within the state.
In a statement released Wednesday night, Governor’s spokesperson Suleiman Bala Idris alleged that Matawalle is allegedly using federal power to intimidate opposition figures, leaving the state government with no choice but to make the matter public.
Idris revealed that the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) has reportedly been leveraged to target opposition members in Zamfara.
He said, “We received a shocking and distressing report that Saleem Abubakar, a Technical Assistant in the Office of the Zamfara State Governor, was abducted in Abuja yesterday.
“The unlawful abduction is believed to have been carried out by a special forces unit operating under the National Security Adviser’s office.
“The most concerning aspect is that this operation was allegedly orchestrated through the NSA’s office by the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle.
“The abductors, acting without any arrest warrant, took Saleem to an unknown location. We later learned he was moved between several facilities, apparently to conceal their actions.”
The spokesperson warned that such incidents set a dangerous precedent and urged all Nigerians to condemn the abuse of power.
“No level of political desperation justifies compromising the impartiality and integrity of the nation’s security agencies,” he stated.
Idris further appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene and direct the National Security Adviser’s office to uphold lawful conduct, emphasizing that such reckless acts harm Nigeria’s international and domestic reputation.
“If the Defence Minister or the operatives involved have any case against Saleem Abubakar, they should pursue it through the courts rather than resorting to abduction,” he added.
The Zamfara government assured that it is monitoring the situation closely and will pursue the matter to ensure justice is served.
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