A bombshell exclusive published today by SaharaReporters has reignited long-standing controversies surrounding Nigeria’s Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle. A former senior aide to Matawalle, speaking anonymously for fear of reprisals, has levelled grave accusations: that the Minister continues to maintain direct WhatsApp communication with notorious bandit leaders in Zamfara State — relationships allegedly forged during his governorship (2019–2023) through funding, gifting vehicles, and political mobilisation.
The whistleblower, who served as Special Assistant mediating between the Matawalle administration and armed groups, claims firsthand knowledge of dealings that included:
- Purchasing rustled cattle directly from bandits at discounted rates (as low as ₦150,000 per head) during festive periods like Sallah to avoid identification in markets.
- Supplying 36 brand-new Hilux vehicles to terror commanders, including the wanted Bello Turji (also known as Kachallah Turji), the late Halilu Sububu, Bello Tugoje, and Kachallah Haru Dole.
- Regularly hosting bandit leaders at Zamfara Government House for discussions on politics, including directives to compel rural communities to vote for Matawalle in his failed re-election bid and for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2023 general elections.
- Placing some bandits, such as Bello Tugoje, on the state payroll.
Most alarmingly, the ex-aide alleges these contacts have persisted into Matawalle’s tenure as Defence Minister. “After he left office as governor and his appointment as minister of defence, it is surprising that he is chatting these people. They always contact him for help,” the source said, naming ongoing WhatsApp exchanges with Turji and others as leverage for future elections, including 2027.
“Many of these terrorists voted for APC in 2023 because the minister was the governor and he told them to vote for APC,” the whistleblower added, claiming the bandits’ support contributed to President Bola Tinubu’s victory in parts of Zamfara.
As of publication time, neither Minister Matawalle nor the Ministry of Defence has issued a response to these specific claims. However, the allegations echo Matawalle’s public stance yesterday (November 18), when he told troops in Sokoto that “most of the key bandit leaders and their foot soldiers have been neutralised” and only “a few scattered elements” remain — a claim that appears at odds with the whistleblower’s narrative of active, high-level contacts.
A History of Controversy
These are not isolated accusations. During Matawalle’s governorship, his administration pursued a widely criticised “peace accord” with armed groups, which included amnesty, cash incentives, and — as previously exposed by SaharaReporters in 2021 — the distribution of Hilux vehicles to “repentant” bandits. At the time, security sources alleged some vehicles were later used in attacks.
Successive Zamfara Governor Dauda Lawal (PDP) has repeatedly accused Matawalle of complicity in the state’s insecurity, claims Matawalle has dismissed as politically motivated while challenging critics to swear on the Qur’an. Similar allegations surfaced in 2024 from Islamic clerics and even bandit kingpin Bello Turji himself in viral videos.
The Defence Headquarters confirmed last year it was probing sponsorship claims amid the Lawal–Matawalle feud, but no public findings have emerged.
Implications for National Security and the Niger Delta Parallel
While the epicentre remains Zamfara and the North-West, the allegations raise disturbing questions about the federal government’s counter-banditry strategy at a time when troops are stretched thin across multiple theatres.
For Niger Delta readers, the story evokes painful memories of the region’s own militant amnesty era under President Umaru Yar’Adua. That programme successfully integrated thousands of ex-militants through stipends and contracts — but critics argued it rewarded criminality and empowered political thugs. Today’s North-West “peace deals” and alleged private arrangements risk repeating those mistakes on a deadlier scale, potentially entrenching warlordism rather than restoring state authority.
Security analysts warn that if even a fraction of these claims prove true, it would represent a catastrophic conflict of interest: the official overseeing Nigeria’s defence apparatus allegedly maintaining back-channels to the very terrorists troops are fighting.
Civil society groups in the North-West have long demanded an independent probe into political-godfather relationships with armed groups. Today’s revelations will intensify those calls.
Niger Delta Herald has reached out to the Minister’s media team and the Defence Headquarters for comment. We will update this story as responses come in.
In the meantime, Nigerians — from the creeks of Bayelsa to the forests of Zamfara — deserve transparency. If the man tasked with coordinating the fight against terror is accused of fraternising with terrorists, the President must act decisively to restore public confidence.
The stakes could not be higher.
