A former Zamfara State Commissioner for Information, Ibrahim Dosara, has dismissed renewed allegations linking the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, to banditry, describing them as politically motivated attempts to tarnish the former governor’s image.
The controversy resurfaced after columnist Farooq Kperogi revisited the claims in a recent article.
In a statement on Sunday, December 7, Dosara warned that reviving such allegations could distract from Nigeria’s broader fight against insecurity.
He said previous investigations had produced no evidence of wrongdoing, insisting that political opponents and disgruntled aides were recycling old claims for relevance.
“The allegations hurled at Dr. Matawalle have been part of Zamfara’s political theatre since 2019.
“They have been investigated, revisited, and subjected to scrutiny without producing a single indictment or official recommendation of wrongdoing,” he added.
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He urged those with credible evidence to follow due process through law enforcement and anti-corruption agencies instead of engaging in speculation.
Dosara argued that much of the criticism stems from Matawalle’s past use of dialogue with armed groups while governor—an approach he said was once endorsed by security experts and federal authorities.
“Most importantly, the so-called ‘dialogues’ now twisted out of context were, at the time, a nationally endorsed strategy recommended by security experts, northern elders, and federal authorities,” he said.
He also dismissed claims that Matawalle lacked political backing, citing his long career spanning three terms in the House of Representatives and a stint as governor.
Defending the minister’s role in the defence sector, Dosara said, “Countries with strong military might such as the United States and the United Kingdom usually appoint civilian officials to oversee the military.”
He warned that politicising security issues could undermine national morale, stressing that “Nigeria deserves a security discourse grounded in facts and not rumours.”