***calls on DSS to investigate Akida’s links with Zamfara Gov

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The protest by some group against the Honourable Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawale in Abuja on Tuesday, has been described as a “futile effort by mischievous elements and enemies of the Federal Government”, to distract the ongoing fight against terrorism and banditry in the north.

A statement Tuesday night by the President of Zamfara APC Youth Integrity Network (ZAYIN), Alhaji Idris Ibrahim, specifically alleged that Tuesday’s protest against Matawale at the headquarters of the Department of State Security (DSS) in Abuja, which was the second of such movement in one month, was one of the many antics of Governor Dauda Lawal to discredit the laudable effort of the Minister in nipping insurgencies to the bod.

It was reported Tuesday afternoon that a group, under the umbrella of APC Akida Forum (AAF), protested at the headquarters of the DSS, against the Minister, Matawale.

The AAF’s chairperson, Musa Mahmud, who spoke on behalf of the protesters, called on the DSS to investigate alleged Matawale’s linkage with bandits and terrorist groups.

But in a swift reaction Tuesday night, Alhaji Ibrahim said it was only those who didn’t know AAF and its evil antecedents in Kaduna State that would take it seriously.

ZAYIN further clarified that, the so called APC Akida Forum has no root in Zamfara state, rather Kaduna State, where Ramalan Tijani resides. “Ramalan Tijani is the person linked to a memo sometimes ago that detailed how the Zamfara State Governor was paying bandits and some media organisations to blackmail Matawalle”.

“APC Akida Forum is a group owned and operated by one Tijani Ramalan who is an ally of the Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal.

“The AAF was used in 2023 to stop APC members from voting for President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the current Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Uba Sani; but both plots failed.

“Governor Lawal has been using the group to forment troubles within the ranks of the APC in Zamfara and neighbouring states. What baffles us is how the Governor thinks the DSS, of all agencies would not do background checks on such a questionable group and would just jump at whatever it was that they came to sell to the public in Abuja.

“Anyone who was around the venue of convergence today in Abuja, would testify that, the buses used to ferry the hired protesters to the DSS headquarters are Zamfara State Government official vehicles in the Liaison office at Abuja and normally used to commute Zamfara State pilgrims.

“We at the Zamfara APC Youth Integrity Network (ZAYIN) are calling on the DSS, the Police and other security agencies to quickly investigate this group called APC Akida Forum – know their leaders, their office, their bank account, if any and their communications with the PDP government and Zamfara Governor, then Nigerians would know the real enemies of the country.

“Tuesday’s unfortunate outing in Abuja, was a futile effort by mischievous elements and enemies of the Federal Government and Zamfara people. It was one of the ploys to distract our leader, the Honourable Minister of State for Defence and discredit his good efforts at fighting banditry and terrorism. Their plans have failed. We shall come out to tell Nigerians more about what is happening in Zamfara state.

“This was a man who belaboured to campaign against Matawale, using banditry as sole selling point to the electorate. He promised heaven and earth to end insecurity in the state if given the chance. With second year down the line, the monsters he created to win election are now receiving good dosages of the Federal Government’s offensive, and he is trying to distract the Minister so that the insurgency will continue.

“Alot of persons have cried out in recent past, showing evidences of how the Governor was patronizing notorious bandit leaders and some accomplice media influencers, but nothing has been done by the security agencies.

“We in APC will not allow anything to undermine the good work of Mr. President and his team in Zamfara State. Anyone who stands against the fight against terrorism and banditry in Zamfara, is an enemy of the State, be it Governor or anybody.

“The year 2027 is around the corner and we shall leave no stone unturn, to make sure we support our leader, His Excellency Bello Matawale to return President Tinubu to power, insha Allah”, the statement concluded.