HURIWA seeks probe over allegations of terrorism against Matawalle

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) on Sunday condemned allegations of terrorism levelled against the Minister of State for Defence and former Governor of Zamfara State, Dr. Bello Mohammed Matawalle, by an alleged bandits’ kingpin, Bello Turji.

HURIWA, in a statement by its national coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, described the claims as baseless and politically motivated. The group called for an in-depth investigation by the security services to identify and prosecute the politicians allegedly funding terrorism in Zamfara State.

HURIWA recalled a recent statement from the office of the Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Matawalle, warning his political enemies to cease sponsoring a wanted bandit, Bello Turji, in a bid to tarnish his name and reputation. The association highlighted that the statement specifically accused elements within the Zamfara State government of manipulating the narrative of insecurity challenges in the state against him, following the circulation of a viral video on social media linking Dr. Matawalle with banditry in Zamfara State.

“Dr. Matawalle firmly denied these allegations, attributing them to the ruling party in the state, which he accused of plotting to discredit him. He underlined the unprofessional synchronisation of Bello Turji’s audio and video clips, which he claimed were poorly edited to falsely accuse him of injustice during the reconciliation efforts by the then Zamfara State government,” HURIWA pointed out.

While expressing grave concern over the malicious and unfounded allegations against the minister, Onwubiko stressed that the allegations are part of a broader political strategy to undermine Matawalle. He alleged that certain politicians, threatened by his influence and integrity, have resorted to using an alleged outlaw like Turji to discredit him. HURIWA condemned this tactic as not only unethical but also dangerous, as it emboldens criminals and jeopardises national security.

“It is disheartening and despicable that political opponents would go to such lengths to malign the character and integrity of Dr. Bello Matawalle. These baseless accusations are not only a personal attack on the Minister but also a direct threat to national security and public safety,” Onwubiko stated.

HURIWA noted that these attacks on Dr. Matawalle escalated after he condemned Northern Elders sabotaging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government and soliciting their support. The association noted that libellous write-ups are being circulated to media houses to tarnish his image.

The group questioned how a wanted criminal could make a video broadcast and circulate it to the media without being tracked. Additionally, the association reported that protesters were allegedly mobilised to attack Dr. Matawalle’s residence in his village but were repelled by security personnel, terming this as “politics taken too far.”