Allegations against Matawalle unproven, politically motivated – HURIWA

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has condemned recent accusations against Bello Matawalle, Minister of State for Defence, calling them unsubstantiated and politically motivated.

Emmanuel Onwubiko, the National Coordinator of HURIWA, said in a statement on Wednesday that this rebuttal followed a protest at the Department of State Services (DSS) headquarters in Abuja, where a group of women and youths, purportedly from Zamfara claimed Matawalle’s tenure fueled insecurity in the state.

HURIWA argued that these claims were a political manoeuvre aimed at discrediting Matawalle and undermining the administration’s stability.

HURIWA referenced statements from Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Tinubu, who previously addressed the allegations, dismissing them as baseless.

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“Most of these are just mere allegations,” Onanuga had stated, emphasising that the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) conducted investigations and found no evidence to support claims of Matawalle’s alleged connections with bandits.

Onanuga said that the NSA’s findings led President Tinubu to retain Matawalle, noting that the president is fully aware of the stories but concluded they are fabricated.

HURIWA recalled that the Kano High Court recently issued a restraining order to prevent Governor Dauda Lawal, his associates, and certain media outlets from continuing a smear campaign against Matawalle.

“In an official press release, dated September 30, 2024, Henshaw Ogubike, Director of Information and Public Relations, Ministry of Defense, underscored that the court’s decision was necessary to halt defamatory actions aimed at discrediting Matawalle,” HURIWA said.

HURIWA criticized Governor Lawal’s actions, stating that his accusations against Matawalle serve as a distraction from the pressing security issues in Zamfara State.

It further claimed that the accusations were driven by Lawal’s alleged attempts to diminish Matawalle’s influence within the government amid rumours of a cabinet reshuffle.