Governor and clerics accuse Minister Bello Matawalle of supplying vehicles, shelter, and protection to notorious bandit leaders, as documents show his family purchased a Pennsylvania home during escalating violence in Zamfara.
By Suleman Ayuba
(Abuja) — A tangled network of state-sponsored terrorism, diverted public funds, and offshore luxury real estate has tightened around Nigeria’s Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle.
As Northwest Nigeria groans under the terror of rampant kidnappings and mass slaughters, growing evidence and official declarations link the senior defence official to the very terror chieftains paralyzing the region. Simultaneously, financial documents reveal that as rural communities burned, lavish real estate acquisitions were being quietly secured abroad.
Patronage for Terrorists: Vehicles and Government House Refuge
Allegations surrounding Matawalle’s tenure as Governor of Zamfara State (2019–2023) paint a disturbing picture of state resources serving terrorist networks.
Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal publicly has called for Matawalle’s immediate resignation, asserting that the minister was actively involved in banditry operations.
Matawalle harbored armed terrorists inside the Zamfara State Government House and facilitated direct ransom payments through government channels, according to Lawal.
“If I were him, I would resign and face all the allegations against me because, from all the information we are getting, my predecessor was fully involved in some of this banditry,” Governor Lawal has said. “We realized that the ₦70 billion misappropriation allegation is child’s play compared to what we have.”
Renowned Islamic cleric Sheikh Bello Asada further detailed Matawalle’s alleged logistics operations for terror networks. According to Asada, Matawalle procured a fleet of 34 brand-new 2019 model Hilux utility vehicles and distributed them to ruthless terrorist kingpins across the Northwest. Recipients included kingpins such as Halilu Subububu, Ado Aleru, and Bello Turji—all infamous warlords who had terrorized Zamfara for nearly a decade.
While frontline security forces struggled with acute equipment deficits, operational vehicles were allegedly handed over to active terror cell leaders.
The Warlord’s Confession
The minister’s defenders claim these encounters were part of a short-lived “dialogue and amnesty” initiative. However, testimonies from terror leaders themselves contradict this narrative, pointing instead to selective protection and state-sponsored sabotage.
In July 2024, terror kingpin Bello Turji released a video statement accusing Matawalle of sabotaging peace efforts by harboring and weaponizing rival bandit factions. Turji revealed that after he personally eliminated a notorious bandit leader named Dudu to bring peace to the Shinkafi district, Matawalle’s administration hosted Dudu’s armed cadres—including their 200 firearms—at the Government House without demanding their disarmament.
Turji further disclosed that commanders such as Bashari Maniya, who commanded over 300 military-grade weapons, were shielded and relocated to safe houses in the Sokoto metropolis, where they continue to direct kidnapping operations for profit.
The Offshore Safe Haven: A $329,000 U.S. Acquisition
As terrorism intensified across Zamfara, documents obtained by Secrets Reporters reveal a parallel accumulation of foreign assets by the minister’s family.
On August 10, 2022—while Zamfara State was embroiled in security crises—a three-bedroom residential property in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was acquired by the minister’s daughter, Firdausi A. Matawalle, alongside Ibrahim H. Gwarzo, according to Secrets Reporters.
Records show the property underwent rapid sequential transfers in March and April 2022 involving Berks At Creekvale LLC for $230,000 before its final conveyance to Matawalle’s daughter and her husband shortly after their wedding.
A Policy of Compromise
Security analysts view Matawalle’s dual role as a high-ranking defence official and a subject of terror-sponsorship investigations as a critical threat to national security.
Dr. Walid Abdullahi, a security expert and academician based in Birni-Kebbi, commented on the allegations, some published by TruthNigeria in 2024.
“These allegations, if proven true, represent a catastrophic breach of trust. The idea that a state governor, and now a federal minister, could be actively supporting the very elements destabilizing the country is deeply troubling. It speaks to the rot within our political system and the enormous challenges we face in combating terrorism.”
Political opposition leaders have similarly questioned the integrity of the cabinet.
New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) spokesman Ladipo Johnson expressed grave concern over Matawalle’s placement in the Ministry of Defence:”It is indicative that the Governor of Zamfara State came out to accuse Matawalle openly… With such rumours, how would you put that person in the Ministry of Defence?”
Matawalle’s alleged N70bn fraud case is still open according to the EFCC.
Despite widespread public outrage, Matawalle remains in office, overseeing Nigeria’s defence portfolio, while rural communities continue to bear the cost of military breakdowns.
Suleman Ayuba is a conflict reporter for TruthNigeria.
