The Federal High Court in Abuja has approved a lawsuit compelling the Federal Government to investigate Alhaji Bello Matawalle, the current Minister of State for Defence and former governor of Zamfara State, over serious allegations of banditry. The suit, filed by human rights activist Abubakar Dahiru, seeks to uncover Matawalle's alleged involvement in the operations of bandits during his tenure as governor from 2019 to 2023.
The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1434/2024, lists President Bola Tinubu, the Attorney General of the Federation, and the Inspector General of Police (IGP) as defendants. Dahiru, represented by his lawyer Ojonimi Apeh, is asking the court to declare that President Tinubu must direct the IGP to investigate the activities of bandits and kidnappers in Zamfara State, with a specific focus on Matawalle’s role in the crisis.
"During Matawalle’s time as governor, armed banditry escalated to unprecedented levels, leaving thousands of citizens in Zamfara State displaced, orphaned, or widowed due to the violence," Dahiru stated in his filing. He pointed to various interviews and articles accusing Matawalle of supporting banditry, including claims that he provided vehicles to bandits, sabotaged law enforcement efforts, and granted amnesty to terrorists.
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