A former spokesman for President Bola Tinubu in the Southeast, Denge Josef Onoh, has called for the immediate resignation of the Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Matawalle. This demand follows the resurfacing of an old video where Matawalle, as Governor of Zamfara State, expressed sympathy towards terrorists.
Video Revelation Sparks National Outrage
The controversy centres on a video from 2021, recorded during Matawalle's tenure as Governor of Zamfara State. In the footage, he described armed bandits terrorising the North-West as "our brothers" who took up arms due to marginalisation. He advocated for negotiation, rehabilitation, and integration as the path to peace, explicitly opposing military action and the labelling of these criminals as terrorists.
Onoh stated that these statements were problematic then but are utterly untenable now that Matawalle serves as Minister of State for Defence. He argued that the minister's primary duty is to support policies leading to the decisive neutralisation of terrorist groups, a mandate irreconcilable with his past defence of the same criminals.
A Conflict of Interest in National Security
Onoh emphasised that Nigeria is in an existential war against terrorism and banditry. He stressed that soldiers risking their lives in theatres like Sambisa Forest and the forests of Zamfara, Katsina, and Kaduna deserve leadership that sees terrorists as enemies, not misguided brothers.
"A public official who once described these same criminals as victims deserving of amnesty cannot credibly oversee military operations designed to eliminate them," Onoh declared. He added that the video gravely undermines national security, perception, and the morale of both troops and victims' families.
International Repercussions and Call to Action
The former presidential aide noted that the resurfaced video lends credence to concerns from the United States and other Western governments about Nigeria's political will to confront terrorism decisively. He called it a "diplomatic own-goal" that could hinder defence cooperation and arms sales.
Onoh called on Matawalle to tender his resignation immediately to avoid any perception of divided loyalty. Should he refuse, Onoh urged President Bola Tinubu, as Commander-in-Chief, to relieve the minister of his duties without delay.
"Nigeria's war against terrorism and banditry must be fought without sentiment, without sacred cows and without officials carrying ideological baggage," Onoh submitted, concluding that for the sake of national unity and victory over terror, Matawalle must go.
