A previously recorded video of Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, has reignited calls for his removal from President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet.
The footage, originally from a 2021 interview with Channels TV, captures Matawalle speaking during his tenure as Governor of Zamfara State, in which he appeared to defend certain individuals involved in criminal activities in the state.
The interview took place at the State House in Abuja, shortly after a meeting with the late President Muhammadu Buhari. Responding to journalists’ questions about banditry in Zamfara, Matawalle said, “Not all of them are criminals.”
He explained, “If you investigate what is happening and what led them to take the law into their own hands, some were wronged by so-called vigilante groups. They often enter settlements, destroy property, and seize livestock. With no one to speak for them, they sometimes seek revenge when attacked by these groups. That is exactly what happened.”
The video resurfaced online shortly after Defence Minister Alhaji Mohammed Badaru resigned and former Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa (rtd), was nominated to replace him.
Following this, security and counter-insurgency expert Zagazola Makama urged President Tinubu to dismiss Matawalle, citing concerns over the minister’s previous statements and their implications on public confidence in national security.
Critics have linked the reshuffling of Nigeria’s security leadership to recent moves aimed at appeasing U.S. President Donald Trump, following threats of intervention over alleged persecution of Christians in the country.
The renewed debate has sparked questions over whether Matawalle should remain in office.
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