The demand for the investigation of the Minister of State for Defence and former Governor of Zamfara State, Mohammed Bello Matawalle, over alleged links with banditry thickened on Tuesday when members of the All Progressives Congress under the aegis of APC Akida Forum stormed the Headquarters of the Department of State Services (DSS) in Abuja.

According to them, the DSS should conduct the investigation not to castigate the former Governor but to save millions of Nigerians and safeguard the integrity of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and security agencies, especially the intelligence community.

As easily as 9:30 am, the protesters led by the Chairman of APC Akida Forum (AAF), Mallam Musa Mahmud, were at the DSS Headquarters where they dropped a petition which was received by a senior official of the secret police.

The petition reads, "We are the APC Akida Forum, a socio-political pressure group headquartered in Kaduna State.

We write to bring to your attention an urgent national concern affecting millions of Nigerians? lives. The APC Akida Forum is seriously concerned by the allegations made by the current Governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal, against his predecessor and now Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle.

?A series of interviews granted on national television have gone viral. In these interviews, the Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, raised grave concerns about his inherited issues upon assuming office.

?These issues include Bello Matawalle, his predecessor and junior defense Minister, being accused of sponsoring bandits and misappropriating state funds. The severe matters strike at the heart of governance, security, and the welfare of the people of Zamfara State and should not be handled lightly.

We consider it our responsibility as loyal party members to seek a thorough investigation into the serious claims to uphold the integrity of our party and our esteemed leader, the President. Failing to address these issues could hurt our party and the reputation of relevant security agencies.

?We want to emphasize that the issues here are not just political problems. They encompass matters of life and death, economic survival, and the fundamental human rights of the citizens of Zamfara State, the North West, and Nigeria as a whole. Hence, we send this appeal to the Department of State Services (DSS) because Nigerians have faith in the institution as a gate keeper. We want the DSS to launch an independent probe into the numerous allegations against the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle.

?We, as loyal party members, must be concerned about these issues. Serious challenges and campaigns are underway across the country, targeting the hard-earned reputation of our leader, the President. Part of this is caused by people?s previous actions, such as Bello Matawalle. We want the DSS to conduct the investigation not to castigate the state minister for Defence, Bello Matawalle, but to save millions of Nigerians and safeguard the integrity of the president, security agencies, especially the intelligence community.

?The Department of State Services is in the best position to advise the President to relieve Bello Matawalle from his position so that he can face an investigative panel. The state minister for Defence should clarify his connections with dangerous individuals like Bello Tagoji, Musa Kamarawa, and Ardon Zuru. Kachalla Auwalun Daudawa is a bandit who abducted the Kankara students in 2020. There are heavy allegations that Matawalle bought a house for him in the Damba area of Gusau, the capital of Zamfara State.

?When Bello Tagoji, a bandit warlord, was arrested in January 2023, the Commissioner of Security, DIG Mamman Tsafe, went to bail him out on Matawalle?s directive. These are not abstract concerns. They represent actual, tangible violations of the rights of Zamfara?s citizens ? the right to education, healthcare, economic security, and to live free from the constant threat of banditry and violence.

?These issues should be at the forefront of any reasonable Nigerian who means well for the country and our dear party.

The claim that Matawalle ?remains loyal to President Bola Tinubu and has the full trust of the administration? is quite concerning. Since when has loyalty to a sitting president become a measure by which an individual accused of associating with dangerous bandits should be unquestionably protected?

?Bello Matawalle is not the only Minister in our government. Why is he the only one with many questionable pasts and heavily surrounded by allegations? Why is nobody accusing the substantive and senior Defence Minister, His Excellency Badaru, of involvement with bandits or any killer group? Any sensible person who has our party at heart must be worried.

?The APC Akida Forum (AAF) believes that where there is smoke, there is fire. To uphold transparency and fairness, we strongly urge Bello Matawalle to step down from his position and subject himself to a thorough investigation. This is imperative to ensure accountability and maintain the integrity of his person as a parent and a member of the biggest and most significant political party in Africa, the APC.?

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