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Federal High Court Orders Investigation Into Ex-Governor Matawalle’s Alleged Links To Banditry In Zamfara
He argued that the activities of criminals, which began as a small issue in the state, escalated to alarming and unprecedented levels between 2019 and 2023,
Abuja, Nigeria- The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted permission for a suit compelling the Federal Government to investigate the alleged connections between the Minister of State for Defence, Alhaji Bello Matawalle, and banditry operations in Zamfara State.
The ruling was delivered on Friday in a case initiated by Zamfara-based human rights activist Abubakar Dahiru, who is challenging the current state of security in the region.
The lawsuit, filed under case number FHC/ABJ/CS/1434/2024, cites President Bola Tinubu, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, and the Inspector General of Police as the first to third defendants, respectively.
The plaintiff, represented by counsel Mr Ojonimi Apeh, argues that it is essential for President Tinubu to instruct the IGP to launch a thorough investigation into the activities of bandits and kidnappers in Zamfara, particularly regarding Matawalle’s alleged involvement.
Dahiru’s application seeks not only an order for the investigation but also a declaration affirming the constitutional authority of the President to direct the IGP in matters of public safety and order.
In a 22-paragraph statement of claim submitted to the court, the plaintiff highlighted the current surge in armed banditry and kidnapping in Zamfara State.
He argued that the activities of criminals, which began as a small issue in the state, escalated to alarming and unprecedented levels between 2019 and 2023, the period during which Hon. Bello Matawalle served as Governor of Zamfara State.
The Plaintiff asserts that armed banditry and kidnapping have left thousands of people in Zamfara as orphans, widows, widowers, and without homes or food. This devastation is the result of criminal activities that maim individuals, extort money, take lives, and subject victims to various forms of physical and emotional suffering.
The Plaintiff asserts that he recently viewed an interview with Governor Dauda Lawal on TVC Television on September 18, 2024, in which the Governor publicly accused Hon. Bello Matawalle of having ties with kidnappers and bandits in Zamfara State.
Also, the Plaintiff states that he has come across an online article by Umoru Faruk Salifu in the 21st Century Chronicles, published on September 22, 2024, where Salifu accused Hon. Bello Matawalle of funding bandits, purchasing vehicles for them, undermining law enforcement efforts to combat banditry and kidnapping in North Western Nigeria, and granting amnesty to terrorists.
The Plaintiff further notes that he read a piece by Professor Abdussamad Umar Jibia, which detailed numerous allegations regarding Hon. Bello Matawalle’s connections to banditry and kidnappings in Zamfara State.
The Plaintiff contends that, despite these serious public allegations concerning Hon. Bello Matawalle’s involvement in banditry and kidnapping, the government has not taken any action to investigate the claims. Consequently, the persistent incidents of banditry and kidnapping continue to endanger the residents of Zamfara State.
Meanwhile, the court has yet to set a date for the hearing of the case.