By Obinna Uballa
A resurfaced video of Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, seemingly defending bandits and terrorists during his tenure as governor of Zamfara State has sparked widespread outrage across social media, with many Nigerians questioning his suitability for the sensitive national security role.
The video, an earlier interview with Channels Television, shows Matawalle arguing that “not all bandits are criminals,” claiming some were driven into violence due to alleged injustices they suffered from vigilante groups and security operations.
In the clip, Matawalle says some bandits resorted to reprisals after being “cheated” by vigilante groups who allegedly destroyed their settlements and confiscated their livestock. He further claimed that military operations sometimes affected the communities where the bandits lived, pushing them into retaliation.
“Not all of them are criminals, because if you investigate what is happening… some of them, sometimes, were cheated by the vigilantes. That’s why I had to ban the vigilante completely,” he stated.
“The vigilante groups would normally go to their settlement and destroy their properties and take their animals. And they don’t have anyone to talk to, so sometimes they go for reprisals.
“When there is a military operation, the military will destroy their settlements and their animals. So, sometimes, if you are talking to them, you will understand where they are coming from.”
He concluded that leaders should “sit down with bandits first” to understand their motives rather than “conclude that the person is a criminal.”
The re-emergence of the video has ignited criticism, with many Nigerians expressing disbelief that Matawalle now holds a top defence portfolio in President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
A Facebook user, Abiola Abiola, wrote: “How did this man become a minister for crying out loud?”
Another commenter, Okerhe Ogheneruemu, questioned the appointment: “Someone saw this person and appointed him as a minister – not just any ministry, but Defence. Obviously, there’s everything wrong with our system and its managers.”
Uchenna Regismatt Ogunjiofor said: “I can’t imagine this man as our Minister of Defence.”
Another user, ’Niyi Fatogbe, remarked: “We can see clearly who the sympathisers of terrorism are, and they are freely talking.”
Smart Uba added: “This is our Minister of Defence. How do you think this evil will stop?”
Matawalle, who governed Zamfara State at the height of rampant banditry in the North-West, had been criticised in the past for adopting a negotiation-based approach that many argued emboldened armed groups.
His appointment as Minister of State for Defence in 2023 drew mixed reactions, but the resurfaced video has reignited scrutiny over his past statements and approach to security management.
The Defence Ministry has not commented on the viral video as of press time.
