A lawyer, Deyemi Saka, Lead Partner, Lambert and Curtis has said that Dr. Bello Matawalle, immediate past governor of Zamfara State and Minister of State for Defense, didn’t buy vehicles for bandits as alleged by the government of Governor Dauda Lawal, successor of Matawalle.

Saka, who challenged the government of Lawal to provide evidence of the allegations, stated in a press statement on Monday that it is on record that the only time vehicles were purchased and distributed was for various District Heads and Emirs and also for the state Vigilante group which drew condemnation from Nigerians.

He said, “It took extensive sensitisation by the former administration to dissuade Nigerians from seeing it as a wasteful venture, but one which was to secure the buy-ins of these prominent Zamfarans by providing the state government and security agencies the much-needed collaboration and vital intelligence in eliminating the scourge of banditry from the state.

“It’s expedient, commonsensical, nobel and logical for Governor Lawal and his aides to avail Nigerians proof of such a grievous allegation.

“We demand proof or proforma invoice for the procurement of such vehicles? The name of the leader of the bandit group(s) who benefited from such largesse?

“One or some of such vehicles recovered or retrieved from such persons with details of such vehicles corresponding with earlier claims in either the proforma invoice or delivery notes.

In the absence of these, there is need to call on Mr. Lawal and his aides to desist from heating up the polity through what can be termed to be an uncontrollable or involuntary vocal activities.

He added, “For some days we have watched with extreme bemusement the dedication to character assassination of the former Governor of Zamfara State and the current Minister of State for Defense; Dr. Bello Matawalle by his successor; Mr. Dauda Lawal.

“The first of the recent onslaught against our client was by one Abdulmalik Abubakar Gajam who in a widely circulated video reeled out some data which in the context of it, is damning and depressing.

“While we’re not unmindful of the excepted knowledge and access to information because of the position he holds in the present government of Zamfara State, we are bold to state that his claims are outlandish, malicious, deliberate misinformation and distortion of facts to suit mischievous agenda.

“It’s on record that he was quick to reel out statistics which he claimed were from a reputable organisation called Analysts Data Services and Resources.

“As we speak, the company is yet to refute such claims or authenticate it, an extensive search through available resources yield nothing in that regards.

“It’s also noteworthy that he never for once stated the research methodology and period in review for such research which gave the data he was pushing out?

“We’ll want the general public to disregard the claims that our client sought patronage and comradeship of bandits by buying and donating trucks to some of them,” he added. (Daily Independent)

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