The Federal High Court (FHC) in Abuja has given the green light to a lawsuit that seeks to compel the Federal Government to investigate the alleged connection between the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, and bandits in Zamfara State. The suit, filed by Zamfara-based activist Abubakar Dahiru and marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1434/2024, names President Bola Tinubu, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), the Minister of Justice, and the Inspector General of Police (IGP) as defendants.
Central to the plaintiff’s case is a request for the court to order President Tinubu to direct the IGP to investigate the activities of bandits and kidnappers in Zamfara State, particularly in light of the allegations surrounding Matawalle’s involvement in these criminal activities. The plaintiff argues that such an investigation is necessary to secure and restore public safety in the state.
In a 22-paragraph statement of claim, the plaintiff asserted that Zamfara State has been plagued by a high wave of armed banditry and kidnapping, which escalated to alarming levels between 2019 and 2023, coinciding with Matawalle’s tenure as the state governor. The plaintiff further alleged that the actions of these criminals have left thousands of people in Zamfara orphaned, widowed, homeless, and hungry, with victims subjected to extortion, physical harm, and psychological torture.
The plaintiff cited an interview aired on TVC Television on September 18, 2024, in which the current Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, openly accused Matawalle of having ties with bandits and kidnappers. Additionally, the plaintiff referenced an article by Professor Abdussamad Umar Jibia, which detailed several accusations of Matawalle’s complicity in banditry and kidnappings in the state.
Despite the severity of these accusations and the ongoing wave of banditry and kidnapping in Zamfara, the plaintiff noted that the government has not made any attempt to investigate Matawalle to determine the veracity of these claims.
The lawsuit comes amidst recent calls by Governor Lawal for Matawalle’s resignation over accusations of sponsoring banditry and engaging in money laundering during his term as governor. Lawal claimed that the Government House in Gusau, the state capital, was allegedly involved in the ransom payment for the abducted children of a permanent secretary. He emphasized that Matawalle’s resignation would be the most honorable course of action given the gravity of the allegations against him.
In response to his successor’s claims, Matawalle pointed out that he was not the only governor who had engaged in dialogue with bandits. He further stressed that he was the only governor who had taken an oath on the Quran to affirm his innocence regarding banditry.
Matawalle, who was appointed as the Minister of State for Defence by President Tinubu in August 2023, faced criticism during his previous role as governor due to the insecurity that plagued Zamfara State.
The court has yet to set a date for the hearing of this case, which has the potential to shed light on the alleged links between high-ranking government officials and the persistent problem of banditry and kidnapping in Zamfara State.