The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, is under fire after being linked with terrorism in the country.

Matawalle is alleged to have procured vehicles for bandit leaders, including a notorious kingpin, Bello Turji, and others while serving as Zamfara State Governor.

The current state governor, Dauda Lawal, who appeared on TVC, a national television station, on Wednesday, urged the minister to resign.

He said, “If I were him (Matawalle), I would resign and face all the allegations against me because, from all the information we are getting, my predecessor was fully involved in some of this banditry.”

According to Lawal, the former governor kept terrorists at the government house, and ransom was paid to terrorists through the government.

“In May 2023, there was this allegation of misappropriation of N70bn. We realised that the N70bn was a child’s play compared to what we have. This information is before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and I wonder how this guy was cleared by the security operatives to become a minister.

“We are still waiting to hear from the EFCC; the case has been on for a year now. This is people’s money; we need the money in Zamfara to address the challenges we are facing.”

A presidential aide contacted to speak on the matter declined comment.

“You will get the answer to your question when the President announces the new cabinet list soon,” the source said.

Previous accusations

It is not the first time Matawalle will face accusation of sponsoring banditry.

In January 2022, while serving as state governor under the All Progressives Congress, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party had called for Matawalle’s resignation over alleged banditry sponsorship.

The APC had countered the allegation, insisting it was because he defected from the PDP to the party at the time.

An Islamic cleric, Bello Asada, also accused him of sponsoring bandits.

In a video seen by Saturday PUNCH, Asada, who spoke in Hausa, alleged that Matawalle procured vehicles for Turji and other bandits.

He said, “You didn’t love especially because of God. Murtala Bello said your godfather has bought vehicles for terrorists, among them is this Halilu Subububu. The defence (state) minister has bought a brand new car and given it to him (is he not the one who’s called ‘Wankin Dan Kanoma’). There is also Ada Aleru.

“I know that he has purchased about 34 vehicles and distributed them to leaders of terrorists. He (Halilu) who I was accused of purchasing a car; was the Zamfara State governor who gave him a brand new 2019 model Hilux, not a second-hand car. People like Ado Aleru were given. I was with the police; Bello Turji was given.

“Decent people like the police, military, and civil defence who are looking for Hilux were not given, only for them to use our money to buy brand new Hiluxes for terrorists.”

Asada further questioned why Turji, despite being a notorious criminal with a visible presence on social media, had not been captured.

Turji has terrorised Zamfara State by killing, kidnapping, and extorting residents for nearly nine years.

His activities gained public attention after a series of videos surfaced on social media, where he also accused Matawalle of sponsoring banditry in the state.

Matawalle’s amnesty

The minister had between 2019 and 2023 initiated amnesty for terrorists in Zamfara State while serving as governor.

But Turji, in a video in July 2024, claimed that the scheme only empowered some of his colleagues.

Premium Times reported that Turji said he killed one of the bandit leaders in his Shinkafi LGA for peace to reign, but the governor later allegedly sabotaged his efforts.

He said, “Any person living in Shinkafi, Zurmi, and Isa (Sokoto State) cannot deny this claim. There is a particular group of bandits whom the former governor pampered. I chased the group from Shinkafi, I killed their leader, Dudu, for peace to reign in Shinkafi. The group had 200 arms, but the governor later hosted them (Dudu’s boys) at the Government House.

“But the government failed to ask the group to surrender their weapons. Another group led by Bashari Maniya has over 300 guns. I seized 30 from them. Where are the remaining? And they never surrendered their weapons to the government.”

He alleged that some of the bandit leaders involved in the peace truce moved to the Sokoto metropolis after giving their arms to their boys kidnapping for ransom. He said the boys were making returns to their leaders living in Sokoto town.

He named some of them as Bashari Maniya, Kabiru, and Buhari.

Matawalle’s dealings with bandits – aide

But an aide to the minister, Dr Suleiman Shuaib, who spoke to Saturday PUNCH, described the allegations as baseless, stating that Governor Lawal was out to witch-hunt his boss and smear his image.

According to Shuaib, Matawalle had never sponsored banditry or terrorism either as governor or minister, adding that he was committed to securing the lives and property of the people of Zamfara State and Nigerians at large.

Shuaib explained that Matawalle only engaged in dialogue with bandits during his early days as governor, in a desperate move to restore peace and security to the state.

He added that Matawalle waged war against some of the bandits when they reneged on their promises, noting that it was wrong for anyone to use his efforts against him for political gain.

He said, “I want to call on Nigerians, including Governor Dauda Lawal, to desist from witch-hunting their predecessors. This is a mere allegation and an act of witch-hunting. This sends a very bad message to the younger generation. It is uncalled for; I am advising Governor Lawal to stop witch-hunting his predecessor.

“The main objective of Governor Lawal and Matawalle is to secure and protect the lives and property of the people of Zamfara. The Governor should focus on the promises he made during his campaign instead of chasing shadows. His duty is to provide security in the state, and the major challenge we have is banditry.

“Zamfara State is on the brink of being swallowed by insecurity, and I want the governor to focus on that. He should work hand-in-hand with Matawalle to bring an end to the insecurity in Zamfara.

“When Matawalle became the governor of the state, the most important issue to address was insecurity. People advised him to call the bandit leaders for dialogue, and he accepted. That was when he met the bandits in Government House; he didn’t know them before.

“The dialogue worked for nine months before some bad actors influenced certain bandits to make outrageous demands, which Matawalle, as the governor, couldn’t meet. Those bandits took up arms again, and the Governor confronted them. He was, and is, never involved in banditry.”

Analyst react

The Managing Director of a security firm, Beacon Consulting Limited, Kabir Adamu, said the accusations against Matawelle were indications of the weaponisation of insecurity in the country.

He stated that the Federal Government and the Zanfara State Government were pursuing very different policies on security.

“The state government has indicated clearly that it is not negotiating with bandits. However, there is evidence and facts that show that at least some officials at the federal level are negotiating are in contact with the bandits, and have even exchanged funding in some instances with them”, he added.

The spokesperson for the New Nigeria Peoples Party, Ladipo Johnson, said the inclusion of Matawalle in Tinubu’s cabinet spoke volumes about the President’s respect for Nigerians and integrity.

“One wonders what the thought process of Mr President and his inner team was for putting a person like Matawalle in the cabinet to man the Ministry of Defence”, said Johnson.

He noted that there had been many questions about Matawalle, which were enough for Tinubu to ask the minister to clarify the allegations against him.

However, Johnson said he was not expecting the minister to resign or talk about the allegations against him because Tinubu did not also speak on his certificate saga.

He said, “It is indicting that the Governor of Zamfara State came out to accuse Matawalle openly. You will recall that this matter has been around for a long time. With such rumours, how would you put that person in the Ministry of Defence?

“There are many questions about him (Matawalle), especially now that the governor and Islamic cleric have come out to accuse him. It is enough for Mr President to ask him to address the allegations. That is what a proper government should do. But this government don’t care about what we think or say as a people. Matawalle should come out to address the allegations and set the record straight.”

Credit: PUNCH

11plc, Total Energies, AA Rano, and other marketers have commenced purchasing Dangote Petrol from the Nigerian National Company (NNPC) Trading Limited at N765.99 per litre.

According to BusinessDay, some petroleum marketers who were able to complete their payment processes on the NNPC trading payment portal commenced the lifting of petrol earlier this week under the existing agreement between marketers and the refinery.

Tunji Oyebanji, managing director, 11Plc, confirmed to BusinessDay on Thursday evening that some marketers have started lifting the products at N765.99 from Dangote Refinery through NNPC.

“We were among the first marketers to complete the payment on the NNPC portal. We have no direct arrangement with the refinery,” Oyebanji said.

It was learnt that NNPC Retail, 11plc, Total Energies, A.A Rano are among the marketers that have picked up products from the refinery.

He added, “We don’t know the contractual financial arrangement between NNPC and the refinery but what I can confirm is we are buying at N765.99 from NNPC to lift Dangote petrol.”

Efforts to get the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) to confirm if its members have picked up products at the Dangote Refinery proved abortive at the time of writing this report.

Adedapo Segun, executive vice-president, downstream at NNPC, said marketers cannot purchase petrol directly from the refinery because the product is still sold at a subsidised rate.

“That is the same thing happening with Dangote. I said earlier that Dangote is a company and it is going to sell at market price,” he told Journalists.

“The market value of PMS is still higher than what N766 or N765 or N799 that NNPC is selling.

“The situation has not changed there. So, NNPC’s off-taking is only because the others would not buy at the price Dangote will be willing to sell, which is reasonable.

“As soon as the price allows for it, you will see the marketers go to Dangote and buy.

“So, instead of saying NNPC is the only off-taker, let’s put it this way: NNPC is the only entity that is willing to offtake because NNPC has a role under the law to be the energy provider of the resort,” Segun added.

On Sunday Evening, Femi Soneye, spokesperson of NNPC, had said that the refinery bought petrol from Dangote refinery at N898 per litre. He said market forces now determine domestic pump prices.

“For instance, now Brent is $70. Let’s say tomorrow, Brent goes to $80. You should note that the price will also rise because those are the market forces. But today, for this initial 16.8 million litre that was given to us, it was at the rate of N898,” Soneye said.

In its reaction, Anthony Chiejina, spokesperson of Dangote Refinery, had described the claim as “misleading and mischievous, aimed at undermining the refinery’s achievement in addressing Nigeria’s energy insufficiency.”

However, the refinery failed to disclose the price it sold the product to NNPC Ltd.

In a counter-statement, the NNPC insisted it bought the product for N898 per litre and would be grateful for any discount from the Dangote refinery that could be passed 100 per cent to the general public.

NNPC Ltd said apart from landing costs from refineries, suppliers must pay statutory and regulatory charges for each litre of petrol.

Those charges include the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority fee, N8.99; inspection fee, N0.97; distribution cost (Lagos), N15.00; and profit margin, N26.48.

The state oil company said once freight and other statutory costs are added, the product would cost more at the pump—N950.22 per litre in Lagos, N980.22 in Rivers, and N992.22 in Abuja. The selling price in Maiduguri is N1,019.

The Nigeria Police Force has revealed some potential benefits of the Electronic Central Motor Registry, E-CMR innovation.

The E-CMR innovation is expected to revolutionize how vehicle information is verified and tracked, especially when stolen.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, while highlighting some of the benefits of the E-CMR via his X handle on Thursday, said with the technology, there would be “No more stopping to check papers- our officers are equipped with cutting-edge tech to verify documents in real-time”.

According to Adejobi, when a vehicle registered with the NPF E-CMR gets stolen, “you can instantly flag it as stolen through your online profile” and it will be recovered.

The Inspector General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun had in July this year ordered the enforcement of the digitalised Central Motor Registry.

The IGP said the move was to modernise and digitize the motor vehicle registration system, and improve the nation’s safety and security framework.