By Ken Afor
A civil rights advocacy group, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), has called on the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, to address the N70 billion fraud allegations leveled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) during his tenure as Governor of Zamfara State before delving into the corrupt allegations against the Chief of Naval Staff, Emmanuel Ogalla.
The New Diplomat had previously reported that Matawalle, a former Governor of Zamfara State, had pledged to probe the corruption allegations against the naval chief.
In a statement issued by Henshaw Ogubike, the Director of Information, Press, and Public Relations of the Defense Ministry, Matawalle had emphasized that the administration of President Bola Tinubu maintains a zero-tolerance stance towards corruption in the public service.
However, HURIWA, in a statement, criticized Matawalle for pledging to investigate the matter despite facing corruption allegations from the EFCC.
Addressing the petition against the naval chief, the rights group suggested that the allegations could be a scheme to prevent the South East states from having representation in the national defense council, which is predominantly dominated by the South West and North West.
The rights group emphasized that the petition should be a subject of thorough investigation, aiming to uncover individuals who may oppose the current efforts by the Nigerian Navy to combat crude oil theft in the oil-rich Niger Delta region.
It said, “It may be a fight between forces of good and evil, which is why that petition must be treated not by someone with questions of ethical challenges hanging on his neck like a sword of damocles.
“It is only in a Banana Republic will a Bello Matawalle, accused of theft of some 50 cars from Zamfara State on leaving office after an unsuccessful attempt to gain second term as governor of that state, and also have sundry allegations of heist of billions of Naira of his state’s funds by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to be the one championing an investigation of any sort of allegations against any public office holder in the Country. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu must stop disgracing us by retaining such a man with heavy ethical issues as a minister in a very sensitive portfolio and here us he trying to insult our sensibility by posing as an anti-graft campaigner.”
“Besides, HURIWA Condemns President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for appointing the erstwhile Zamfara State governor who openly negotiated with terrorists and at a time actively canvassed for Amnesty programmes for armed Fulani terrorists and he is the same character heading such a very sensitive national security position as a minister in the Federal ministry of defence. This is preposterous and a crying shame.”
It would be recalled that recently, concerned human rights activists and lawyers, including Barrister Pelumi Olajengbesi, Comrade Deji Adeyanju, Comrade Mohammed Suleiman SK, Barrister Aisha Waliki, and Comrade Ogunwoye Samson, submitted a petition to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu through the Office of the Minister of State, Matawalle.
The petition called for an immediate investigation into the conduct of the naval chief, accusing him of involvement in large-scale corrupt practices, including contract splitting and procurement fraud.
According to HURIWA, the petioners stated that, “At a time when the country is grappling with significant revenue losses due to crude oil theft, it is distressing to discover that the Chief of Naval Staff, whose primary responsibility is to safeguard Nigeria’s waterways against oil theft and other forms of criminality, is allegedly involved in collusion with the perpetrators of these heinous crimes against the Nigerian state.”
HURIWA criticized the allegations, citing a lack of evidence, and questioned the petitioners’ choice to approach the Minister of State instead of the senior minister or directly the President, considering their unrestricted access.
HURIWA emphasized that, despite the Navy refuting the allegations against the naval chief, it is crucial for the petitioners to present credible evidence to the appropriate authority rather than involving Matawalle, who remains under the EFCC’s scrutiny.
The New Diplomat recalls that in December 2023, the new administration of Governor Dauda Lawal in Zamfara State revealed that there was the recovery of approximately 50 operational vehicles that were reportedly taken by the immediate past governor of the state, Matawalle.
This development followed the accusations of stolen operational vehicles and the embezzlement of public funds during the tenure of Matawalle.
