Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, has publicly called on his predecessor and current Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, to step aside and clear his name amid serious allegations. In an interview on TVC, Lawal accused Matawalle of involvement in banditry and money laundering during his tenure as governor.
Lawal stated, “If I were him, I would resign and face all the allegations against me. From all the information we’re getting, my predecessor was fully involved in some of this banditry issue.”
The governor also alleged that Matawalle left the state’s treasury in a dire state, claiming a massive financial mismanagement. “When I assumed office, I discovered that over N250 billion was unaccounted for,” Lawal said. He criticized the previous administration, noting that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had estimated N70 billion in stolen funds, but upon taking office, he found the actual misappropriation to be significantly higher.
Lawal described the state’s financial situation as dire, revealing that upon his takeover, the government account was empty, and there were substantial backlogs of unpaid salaries. He also highlighted that for three years, no students from Zamfara wrote WAEC or NECO exams, requiring significant funds to resolve the backlog.
Governor Lawal’s accusations against Matawalle are part of a broader critique of his administration’s handling of state finances and security issues.