By Luka Binniyat
(Kaduna) Three days after the sudden resignation of Defense Minister Mohammed Badaru, Nigerian government insiders are telling TruthNigeria that the days of Deputy Defense Minister Bello Matawalle are numbered as well.
On Wednesday, Dec. 3, Nigeria Deputy Minister of Defense Matawalle invoked the wrath of Nigeria public after his past defence of Fulani bandits went viral via a news video when he was Governor.
This is coming at a time that it has been reported that Washington was mounting pressure on President Tinubu to also sack Matawalle as precondition for any security assistance.
In the viral video shot when he was still Governor of Zamfara state in 2022, Matawalle argued in a smattering of English:
“These bandits! Not all of them are criminals,” he said to the shock of viewers.
“If you know, or maybe if you investigate them to know what makes them to take the law into their hands, you will know that some of them were cheated by ‘yan saa kai’ (civilian volunteer guards) in the past. And I had to band yan saa kai completely in my state when I was governor. The civilian vigilante, yan saa kai will normally go to their settlement, destroy their property, take their animals, you know, so they (bandits) don’t have any one to spoke to. Sometimes they are going for revenge if yan saa kai are coming, so they will go for reprisal. So that’s exactly what is happening.”
He said that the bandits are also victims of military operations, saying they attack them unfairly even as they peacefully reside in their communities on the outskirts of towns.
“Sometimes they are angry with such a situation. So, you can now understand where they are coming from. You should understand their problem. It is important we that we as leaders to sat down with these people and find out what is the genesis of their problem first. You can’t just jump and conclude that the person is a criminal. You must listen to find out what leads him into such activities. . .” he said to the chagrin of viewers on Facebook.
In a move that was hailed as apt, Tinubu appointed Nigeria’s immediate past Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Musa Christopher (rtd), a Christian, as the replacement of Badaru.
The three topmost Nigerian defense portfolios have been occupied by persons of the Muslim Fulani ethnic group. They are the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu; Minister of Defense, Mohammed Badaru and Deputy Minister of Defense, Bello Matawalle.
Their appointment at a time when Fulani ethnic militia are regarded as far more lethal than Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists has stirred a lot of resentment both in Nigeria and abroad.
Grave Allegations Against Matawalle
The current Governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawai, had in November, 2024 publicly accused Bello Matawalle of keeping bandits in government house when Matawalle was governor. Also, a well-entrenched Islamic Preacher based in Sokoto had accused Matawalle of shielding notorious bandits once arrested while keeping a stock of over 500 rifles when Matawalle was Governor. He said that he was ready to defend his allegations in court.
These are among many other accusations against him from different persons and groups alleging that he is a bandit sympathizer.
But Matawalle had survived these allegations, even as he continues to deny them.
Today, former CDS, Gen Musa Christopher has been appointed Minister of Defense, signaling a more elaborate reshuffling of the Nigerian defense portfolio.
Both National Security Adviser, Ribadu and Matawalle are Fulani tribal members. Nigerians have been uncomfortable that Tinubu had made the three top defense portfolios exclusive to the Fulani, whose kinsmen seem to have declared an unofficial war against Nigeria.
US Mounts further Pressure on Tinubu
Joining this national uproar is increasing pressure from abroad. According to Sahara Reporters, the United States has insisted that Bello Matawalle — alongside Badaru — must be removed before Washington cooperates with Nigeria on security matters. The report stated clearly that the US administration delivered this condition through diplomatic and security channels to the Nigerian presidency.
The move is widely seen as an effort by Tinubu to appease both domestic outrage and international partners.
Pressure is also building within Nigeria. Civil society groups, security analysts, and several lawmakers have argued that retaining Matawalle undermines the credibility of the country’s security architecture. They point out that the defence apparatus already faces a severe perception crisis — given the ethnic nature of appointments and the growing belief that the government is “too soft” on Fulani-linked militancy.
Tinubu’s Dilemma
• Retain Matawalle and risk losing US cooperation, intelligence support, and military assistance.
• Remove him and risk political backlash from northern power blocs who see him as a key political asset.
• Keep him and further damage public confidence in the impartiality of Nigeria’s defence architecture.
Security experts warn that Nigeria cannot afford prolonged distrust in its defence leadership at a time when communities are being overrun, farmlands abandoned, and rural economies collapsing under the weight of banditry.
Meanwhile, the viral video has already shaped public sentiment in a way no prior allegation did. It provided the first widely circulated, unfiltered recording of Matawalle expressing sympathy for bandits — at a time when millions of Nigerians view the banditry epidemic as an existential threat.
As Sahara Reporters concluded in its exclusive report, the Senate may soon receive formal communication from the presidency on a further defence reshuffle — a step that would likely confirm Matawalle’s removal.
With all these forces converging — public outrage, external diplomatic pressure, and internal political recalibration — the signs increasingly point toward one conclusion: Bello Matawalle may soon be dropped. His continued presence in the defence hierarchy could undermine every effort Tinubu is making to stabilize the nation and regain international confidence.
Luka Binniyat is a conflict reporter for TruthNigeria.
