Boma Achenimie 
Suleiman Shuaib, one of the media aides to the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, has denied the allegations linking his principal to terrorism and banditry in Nigeria.
In a conversation with Saturday Punch, Shuaib dismissed the claims as unfounded and politically motivated, accusing Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal of orchestrating a witch-hunt against Matawalle.
Shuaib emphasized that Matawalle, both during his tenure as governor of Zamfara and as a Minister, has never been involved in or supported any form of banditry or terrorism.
He highlighted Matawalle’s initial efforts as governor, which involved dialogue with bandits to restore peace and security in Zamfara. However, when certain factions reneged on their agreements, Matawalle took decisive action against them.
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The allegations arise amidst ongoing political tensions in Zamfara State, particularly following comments by Governor Lawal, who has accused Matawalle of having connections to banditry and has called for his resignation.
These accusations have further fueled controversy within the state’s political landscape.
Shuaib responded by urging Governor Lawal and others to refrain from what he described as a baseless witch-hunt.
He called on the governor to focus on fulfilling his campaign promises, particularly addressing the severe insecurity that continues to plague Zamfara.
“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,” Shuaib stated.
He further stressed that Matawalle was committed to combating banditry and had only engaged with bandits in dialogue as a means to secure peace, a strategy that was initially effective.
Shuaib concluded by reaffirming Matawalle’s commitment to the fight against insecurity, urging Governor Lawal to collaborate with his predecessor to address the ongoing challenges in Zamfara State.
