Crime
Tinubu’s minister accused of working with bandits
The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, is under fire after being linked with terrorism in the country.
Matawalle is alleged to have procured vehicles for bandit leaders, including a notorious kingpin, Bello Turji, and others while serving as Zamfara State Governor.
The current state governor, Dauda Lawal, who appeared on TVC, a national television station, on Wednesday, urged the minister to resign.
He said, “If I were him (Matawalle), I would resign and face all the allegations against me because, from all the information we are getting, my predecessor was fully involved in some of this banditry.”
According to Lawal, the former governor kept terrorists at the government house, and ransom was paid to terrorists through the government.
“In May 2023, there was this allegation of misappropriation of N70bn. We realised that the N70bn was a child’s play compared to what we have. This information is before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and I wonder how this guy was cleared by the security operatives to become a minister.
“We are still waiting to hear from the EFCC; the case has been on for a year now. This is people’s money; we need the money in Zamfara to address the challenges we are facing.”
A presidential aide contacted to speak on the matter declined comment.
“You will get the answer to your question when the President announces the new cabinet list soon,” the source said.
Previous accusations
It is not the first time Matawalle will face accusation of sponsoring banditry.
In January 2022, while serving as state governor under the All Progressives Congress, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party had called for Matawalle’s resignation over alleged banditry sponsorship.
The APC had countered the allegation, insisting it was because he defected from the PDP to the party at the time.
An Islamic cleric, Bello Asada, also accused him of sponsoring bandits.
In a video seen by Saturday PUNCH, Asada, who spoke in Hausa, alleged that Matawalle procured vehicles for Turji and other bandits.
He said, “You didn’t love especially because of God. Murtala Bello said your godfather has bought vehicles for terrorists, among them is this Halilu Subububu. The defence (state) minister has bought a brand new car and given it to him (is he not the one who’s called ‘Wankin Dan Kanoma’). There is also Ada Aleru.
“I know that he has purchased about 34 vehicles and distributed them to leaders of terrorists. He (Halilu) who I was accused of purchasing a car; was the Zamfara State governor who gave him a brand new 2019 model Hilux, not a second-hand car. People like Ado Aleru were given. I was with the police; Bello Turji was given.
“Decent people like the police, military, and civil defence who are looking for Hilux were not given, only for them to use our money to buy brand new Hiluxes for terrorists.”
Asada further questioned why Turji, despite being a notorious criminal with a visible presence on social media, had not been captured.
Turji has terrorised Zamfara State by killing, kidnapping, and extorting residents for nearly nine years.
His activities gained public attention after a series of videos surfaced on social media, where he also accused Matawalle of sponsoring banditry in the state.
Matawalle’s amnesty
The minister had between 2019 and 2023 initiated amnesty for terrorists in Zamfara State while serving as governor.
But Turji, in a video in July 2024, claimed that the scheme only empowered some of his colleagues.
Premium Times reported that Turji said he killed one of the bandit leaders in his Shinkafi LGA for peace to reign, but the governor later allegedly sabotaged his efforts.
He said, “Any person living in Shinkafi, Zurmi, and Isa (Sokoto State) cannot deny this claim. There is a particular group of bandits whom the former governor pampered. I chased the group from Shinkafi, I killed their leader, Dudu, for peace to reign in Shinkafi. The group had 200 arms, but the governor later hosted them (Dudu’s boys) at the Government House.
“But the government failed to ask the group to surrender their weapons. Another group led by Bashari Maniya has over 300 guns. I seized 30 from them. Where are the remaining? And they never surrendered their weapons to the government.”
He alleged that some of the bandit leaders involved in the peace truce moved to the Sokoto metropolis after giving their arms to their boys kidnapping for ransom. He said the boys were making returns to their leaders living in Sokoto town.
He named some of them as Bashari Maniya, Kabiru, and Buhari.
Matawalle’s dealings with bandits – aide
But an aide to the minister, Dr Suleiman Shuaib, who spoke to Saturday PUNCH, described the allegations as baseless, stating that Governor Lawal was out to witch-hunt his boss and smear his image.
According to Shuaib, Matawalle had never sponsored banditry or terrorism either as governor or minister, adding that he was committed to securing the lives and property of the people of Zamfara State and Nigerians at large.
Shuaib explained that Matawalle only engaged in dialogue with bandits during his early days as governor, in a desperate move to restore peace and security to the state.
He added that Matawalle waged war against some of the bandits when they reneged on their promises, noting that it was wrong for anyone to use his efforts against him for political gain.
He said, “I want to call on Nigerians, including Governor Dauda Lawal, to desist from witch-hunting their predecessors. This is a mere allegation and an act of witch-hunting. This sends a very bad message to the younger generation. It is uncalled for; I am advising Governor Lawal to stop witch-hunting his predecessor.
“The main objective of Governor Lawal and Matawalle is to secure and protect the lives and property of the people of Zamfara. The Governor should focus on the promises he made during his campaign instead of chasing shadows. His duty is to provide security in the state, and the major challenge we have is banditry.
“Zamfara State is on the brink of being swallowed by insecurity, and I want the governor to focus on that. He should work hand-in-hand with Matawalle to bring an end to the insecurity in Zamfara.
“When Matawalle became the governor of the state, the most important issue to address was insecurity. People advised him to call the bandit leaders for dialogue, and he accepted. That was when he met the bandits in Government House; he didn’t know them before.
“The dialogue worked for nine months before some bad actors influenced certain bandits to make outrageous demands, which Matawalle, as the governor, couldn’t meet. Those bandits took up arms again, and the Governor confronted them. He was, and is, never involved in banditry.”
Two police officers have been killed after suspected armed herders ambushed the convoy of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Ayilamo, Logo Local Government Area of Benue State.
The latest attack occurred on Monday evening, barely four days after another deadly incident in the community reportedly left four policemen and seven residents dead.
Community sources said the DPO had travelled to Makurdi on official duty and was returning to Ayilamo when his entourage came under attack.
One of the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the victims were among newly deployed Mobile Police officers stationed in the area.
He said the officers were attacked at about 6pm while travelling from Ayilamo to escort the DPO back to the community from Makurdi.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Benue State Police Command, DSP Peter Aondongu, said two officers attached to the DPO’s entourage were killed in the attack.
“The DPO came to Makurdi to collect some things, and while returning to Ayilamo, he was attacked and lost two of his men in the attack,” Aondongu said.
The latest incident has raised fresh concerns over the security situation in Ayilamo, where repeated attacks have resulted in casualties among security personnel and residents.
The Nigeria Police Force has placed its formations nationwide on red alert following intelligence reports of planned terrorist attacks on worship centres, schools, NYSC orientation camps and other public places.
The alert followed fresh intelligence indicating increased mobilisation of terrorist elements for possible coordinated attacks on vulnerable targets across the country.
Police authorities also reportedly received intelligence on the movement of armed elements from Katsina through Kaduna towards Plateau State.
The operational order was contained in a police wireless message dated September 13, 2026, with reference number CB: 0900/FDPS/DOPS/FHQ/ABJ/VOL38/68, issued by the Department of Operations at Force Headquarters, Abuja.
Marked “Security General” and tagged “Treat as Very Important,” the message was circulated to Assistant Inspectors-General of Police overseeing Zones 1–17, Mobile Police formations, counter-terrorism and other specialised units, as well as Commissioners of Police in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The police directed formations to intensify vigilance and take proactive measures to prevent criminal and terrorist elements from carrying out attacks.
The warning specifically highlighted places of worship, educational institutions, NYSC orientation camps and other vulnerable public locations as potential targets.
A 16-year-old boy, Favour Ayogu, who was allegedly abducted in Igboeze South Local Government Area of Enugu State, has been rescued in Onitsha, Anambra State, after his abductors reportedly abandoned him near a security checkpoint.
Ayogu was rescued on the evening of September 13, 2026, by a joint security patrol team operating along Oguta Road, Onitsha.
According to the Anambra State Police Command, the teenager was found at Ekene Junction after unidentified persons reportedly pushed him out of a black Toyota Highlander SUV close to a security checkpoint.
The patrol team immediately intervened and rescued the victim, thereby preventing what the police described as further danger to his life.
Following the rescue, the Command said it had intensified surveillance and intelligence-led operations to identify and apprehend members of the suspected criminal gang responsible for the abduction.
The police also appealed to residents of Igboeze South and Ibagwa-Aka in Enugu State who may have useful information about Ayogu or his family to contact the nearest police station or the Anambra State Police Command in Awka.
The Commissioner of Police, Anambra State, CP Nnanna Oji Ama, commended the security personnel involved in the rescue and directed officers to sustain strategic checkpoints, intelligence-led patrols and coordinated security operations across the state.
The Command assured residents and visitors that it would continue to intensify efforts to prevent criminal elements from using Anambra as a safe haven.
At least nine passengers have been killed after gunmen opened fire on a commercial bus at Dungus Junction in Kuru community, Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The attack reportedly occurred around 9:40 p.m. when the bus, which was travelling towards Jos, stopped at the junction to drop off some passengers.
Several other passengers were reportedly injured in the attack and rushed to hospitals for treatment.
Lawan Suleiman, a neighbour and teacher of one of the victims, identified the driver as Ibrahim and said three of the victims were from his community in Bukuru.
“The driver is Ibrahim and he was my student. Three of them are from our community here in Bukuru. Their bodies have been deposited at the hospital. But relatives are preparing to collect them for burial,” Suleiman said.
The bus was reportedly riddled with bullets, with bloodstains visible inside the vehicle after the attack.
Rwang Tengwong, spokesman for the Berom Youth Moulders (BYM), also confirmed the incident, saying the victims were passengers travelling to Jos when the attackers opened fire on the vehicle.
Tengwong said one of those killed was a member of Operation Rainbow.
“The incident happened around 9.40 p.m. The victims were all passengers travelling to Jos when the terrorists opened fire on the vehicle. Among those killed was a member of Operation Rainbow. It is a very sad development and we lament the loss of lives,” he said.
He added that some passengers sustained gunshot injuries and were taken to hospitals, while some of the injured reportedly later died.
The attack has raised fresh concerns over the safety of commuters travelling along the route at night amid continuing security challenges in parts of Plateau State.
As of the time of filing this report, the Plateau State Police Command had yet to issue an official statement on the incident.
The Enugu State Police Command has ordered an investigation into two separate incidents of alleged disruption of political gatherings in Nkanu West Local Government Area of the state.
The incidents reportedly occurred on Saturday, September 12, 2026, at Ndiuno-Obuoffia community and St. Joseph Primary School, Agbani.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Command’s spokesperson, SP Daniel Ndukwe, said the Commissioner of Police, CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa, directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to thoroughly investigate the incidents and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.
According to the statement, armed hoodlums allegedly disrupted a National Democratic Congress (NDC) ward meeting at Ndiuno-Obuoffia with sporadic gunshots, leaving two attendees injured.
In a separate incident at St. Joseph Primary School, Agbani, hoodlums allegedly destroyed canopies and chairs arranged for a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rally.
The police said operatives were promptly deployed to both locations after receiving reports of the incidents to prevent further breaches of peace and track down the fleeing suspects.
The Command, however, noted that neither of the political gatherings had been formally brought to the attention of the police for security coverage.
CP Giwa reiterated his warning that all political activities in the state must be conducted peacefully and in accordance with the law.
He stressed that electoral offences are punishable under the law and warned political parties, candidates, supporters and other stakeholders against violence, intimidation, destruction of property and other acts capable of disrupting public peace or the electoral process.
The Commissioner urged political parties and other stakeholders to notify the police ahead of campaigns, meetings, rallies and other political gatherings to enable the Command to make adequate security arrangements.
He assured residents that the police would continue to maintain a peaceful and secure environment for lawful political activities while dealing decisively with anyone found violating the law.
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