A Sokoto state based Islamic cleric, Sheikh Murtala Bello Asada, has named the State Minister of Defence Bello Matawalle alongside Senator representing Sokoto South Aminu Tambuwal as sponsors of banditry in the North West region of Nigeria.
WikkiTimes reports that banditry has become entrenched in the region with Zamfara, Sokoto and Katsina as the most affected entities where bandits kill and kidanp for ransom freely. Security forces have made some gains recently in the fight against the bandits.
Sheikh Asada, in a viral video shared across social media platforms which WikkiTimes could not ascertained a definite date it was recorded, argued that the federal government cannot win the war against banditry while it harbors sponsors of the act in the corridors of power.
The cleric, who made the remark at a weekly preaching session, categorically fingered the immediate past governors of Zamfara and Sokoto states.
Defending his allegations, the cleric said one of the bandits’ kingpin, Musa Kamarawa who is a close associate of Bello Turji that is being prosecuted was the conduit through which the former Zamfara Governor supplied armoured vehicle to a bandit in Zamfara.
According to him, one of the kingpins who was killed recently by security forces, Halilu Sububu, was sponsored by people within the government. He disclosed that he possesses evidence that late Halilu Sububu was given the armoured car he was using by Matawalle.
“Yes, it was true that Kamarawa bought the armoured vehicle, but the reality of the matter is that it was bought and given to the terrorist by a prominent northern politician within Bola Tinubu’s administration”.
“He was the one that bought the vehicle and gave it to him and the people who delivered the car are still alive”, he said.
Sheikh Asada further said the terrorist has been using the vehicle until when nemesis caught up with him that it had engine failure. He said he then requested that another one be bought to him.
“When its engine burst, he (Kamarawa) then requested another one from that top politician and another one here in Sokoto. The politician here in Sokoto formed a committee to find out if truly he were to buy a new one, they should buy it for him. And after a long silence without replacing it, the terrorist gave his own money to someone to sell it and buy a new one for him. Fortunately, both the money and the old vehicle were intercepted by immigration officers.
“As this happened, the politician here in Sokoto, let me say it categorically, it was former Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and the person whom the car was taken to was late Halilu Sububu, while the person who gave him the car was present Minister of Defence(State)”, he said.
The cleric argued that if truly the government is serious about fighting banditry, it would have arrested the known sponsors, saying even members of the committee assigned to buy the car for the terrorist are still alive including a former member of Sokoto State House of Assembly.
He alleged that Kamarawa was arrested by the government under the directives of Bello Matawalle for allegedly revealing secret information to the cleric.
“The reason behind the recent arrest of Kamarawa was a declaration by Bello Turji that there are some bandits’ kingpins Kabiru Maniya, Bashari Maniya who were unleashing terror and have animals in the forest but were given a befitting accommodation by someone here in Sokoto. If any security agency wants to know the location,let them come to me, I’ll show them the place”,he declared.
He further said Kamarawa has openly confessed that Matawalle had bought cars to bandits’ leaders such as Bello Turji, Ado Alieru and Sububu. He said Kamarawa should have been investigated and find out if truly his allegations hold ground.
