Former Zamfara State Governor Bello Matawalle has strongly refuted accusations by the current governor, Dauda Lawal, that he played a role in fostering banditry in the state. Matawalle, now the Minister of State for Defence, challenged Lawal and other politicians, including General Ali Gusau, to swear on the Quran to prove their innocence regarding the banditry crisis in Zamfara.
In an interview with Channels Television on Tuesday, Matawalle declared, “I was the only governor to swear on the Holy Quran that I have no hand in banditry,” adding that none of the other politicians dared to take the same oath.
The allegations against Matawalle stem from claims by Governor Lawal that the former governor harbored terrorists at the Zamfara government house and facilitated ransom payments through the state government. Lawal has called for Matawalle’s resignation from his ministerial position to clear his name.
Defending his record, Matawalle emphasized that his decision to engage in dialogue with bandits was not unique, as other governors in Niger and Sokoto States also took similar steps. He questioned why he was being singled out for criticism, attributing it to Zamfara’s complex and troubled environment.
Matawalle also dismissed accusations that he siphoned ₦70 billion from the state’s funds during his time in office, asserting that the allegations were fabrications by Governor Lawal. He insisted that the financial records and indices from his administration are available with the Ministry of Finance.
In response to Lawal’s claims of corruption, Matawalle urged the governor to focus on providing good governance and addressing the insecurity plaguing the state, while reminding him that governance is a continuous process.
Governor Lawal, on the other hand, lamented that despite providing evidence to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) about the alleged ₦70 billion theft, little has been done to recover the funds.
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