Former Governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle, has rejected accusations from current Governor Dauda Lawal, claiming he supported banditry during his time in office. Now serving as Minister of State for Defence, Matawalle urged Lawal and other politicians to take an oath on the Quran to prove they have no involvement with banditry in the region.
During an interview with Channels Television, Matawalle said, “I was the only governor to swear on the Quran that I had no ties to banditry. I challenge all politicians, including General Ali Gusau and Dauda Lawal, to do the same. If they don’t, it implies they’re involved.”
Governor Lawal has previously called for Matawalle’s resignation, accusing him of housing terrorists at the government house and facilitating ransom payments. In response, Matawalle defended his engagement in dialogue with bandits, noting that other northern governors also used negotiations to recover abducted persons and arms.
“Why am I being singled out for dialogue when governors from Niger and Sokoto States did the same?” Matawalle questioned. He added that the allegations of corruption and mismanagement of state funds were unfounded, claiming Lawal was attempting to mislead the public.
Lawal had accused Matawalle of embezzling ₦70 billion, criticizing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for not taking substantial action despite the evidence provided. Matawalle dismissed these claims, urging Lawal to focus on tackling insecurity in Zamfara instead.
