Banditry allegation: Court okays suit to compel FG to probe ex-gov Matawalle

The Federal High Court in Abuja has approved a lawsuit seeking to compel the Federal Government to investigate allegations linking the Minister of State for Defence, Alhaji Bello Matawalle, to banditry in Zamfara State.

The suit, brought by human rights activist Abubakar Dahiru, aims to probe Matawalle’s alleged involvement in the operations of bandits during his tenure as governor.

The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1434/2024, lists President Bola Tinubu, the Attorney General of the Federation, and the Inspector General of Police (IGP) as the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd defendants, respectively.

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 allegations surrounding Matawalle’s role in the crisis.

The plaintiff claims that during Matawalle’s time as governor (2019–2023), armed banditry escalated to unprecedented levels, leaving thousands of citizens in Zamfara State displaced, orphaned, or widowed due to the violence.

Dahiru pointed to 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.

Dahiru contends that despite these serious allegations, the government has made no attempt to investigate Matawalle, while banditry continues to plague Zamfara State.