The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has confirmed that investigations are ongoing into the alleged sponsorship of banditry in Nigeria’s North-West region. Maj. Gen. Edward Buba, the DHQ’s Director of Media Operations, disclosed this during a press briefing on Thursday in Abuja, stating that relevant agencies are thoroughly probing the issue.
This development follows heated accusations between the Minister of State for Defence and former Governor of Zamfara, Bello Matawalle, and his successor, Dauda Lawal, over alleged involvement in bandit sponsorship. Earlier in the week, Matawalle had challenged Lawal to swear by the Holy Qur’an that he had no ties to the financing of banditry. In response, Lawal vowed to release incriminating evidence and reported the matter to President Bola Tinubu and the National Security Adviser.
Addressing the media, Maj. Gen. Buba assured the public that the responsible authorities are working diligently, adding, “Sooner than later, you will hear some announcements in that regard.” He emphasized the military’s commitment to ending banditry by focusing on destroying the insurgents’ will to fight.
Buba also highlighted the military’s recent achievements, stating that between July and September 2024, 1,937 terrorists, including 65 key insurgent leaders, were neutralized in various operations.
Meanwhile, the Tinubu Youth Network (TYN), a support group within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has called for Matawalle to step down from his ministerial position pending a thorough investigation into the allegations. Speaking at a press conference in Kaduna, TYN Secretary General Yusuf Muhammad stated that the accusations against Matawalle were too serious to be ignored, adding that they posed a threat to the image of the APC and President Tinubu’s anti-corruption agenda.
Muhammad urged Matawalle to submit to the investigation, emphasizing that “loyalty should not supersede accountability.”
Efforts to reach Matawalle for comment were unsuccessful at the time of this report, as calls and messages to his aide went unanswered.
