The immediate past governor of the Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle, is currently the Minister of State for Defence.
Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal has said that having someone from the state as the Minister of State for Defence has not benefitted the state in its fight against banditry and other violent crimes.
The immediate past governor of the Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle, is currently the Minister of State for Defence.
On Tuesday, Governor Lawal appeared on Channels TV's Sunrise Daily, where he expressed his frustrations about the lingering insecurity in his state, even after one year in office. He noted that having his predecessor, Bello Matawalle, serve as Defence Minister has not provided any significant advantage or improvement in addressing the security challenges facing the state.
He said, “It is always interesting when this Minister of Defence thing comes up. Yeah, he is Minister of State, Defence, but of what benefit to us?
"Just about a few weeks ago, bandits went to his hometown, killed many people, what has he done about it? Yes, we have Minister of Defence but of what benefit to Zamfara State?"
SaharaReporters reported earlier on Tuesday that Governor Lawal accused the federally controlled security agencies of having an “uninspiring attitude” in the fight against banditry.
The governor further lamented the laidback attitude of the police and the military in combating the menace of banditry plaguing the North-West state.
According to him, the situation justified the creation of the state security outfit, Community Protection Guards in January.
“That is the reason why I set up the Community Protection Guards because I have control over them and they are doing exceptionally well. I don’t have control over the military, I don’t have control over the police.
"I don’t have control over the civil defence. No matter what you tell them, they don’t take instructions from you; they take instructions from the heads of their agencies.
“I don’t want people being killed left right and centre every day,” he said.
Matawalle was Zamfara's governor from May 2019 to May 2023. He was the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the 2023 governorship election in the state while the incumbent, Lawal, was the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Lawal, a first-time governorship candidate, defeated Matawalle in the election.
After his electoral defeat, Matawalle was appointed to the cabinet of President Tinubu as Minister of State for Defence.