Matawalle’s Aide Dismisses NSA Harassment Allegations As Political Smear.

An aide to the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, has firmly rejected claims by the Zamfara State Government that the minister was deploying the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) to intimidate opposition figures in the state, describing the allegations as unfounded and politically driven, according to Nivo News.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Speaking on Thursday, Alhaji Suleiman Shinkafi, a close associate of the former Zamfara governor, insisted that neither Matawalle nor any federal security agency was involved in targeting political opponents. He dismissed the accusations as a deliberate attempt to distort facts, arguing that the political reality in Zamfara contradicts the state government’s narrative.

Shinkafi maintained that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) currently controls the state, while the All Progressives Congress (APC) remains the opposition, insisting that claims of opposition harassment were misplaced. He alleged instead that members of the APC had been subjected to intimidation and persecution since the 2023 governorship election, which he described as deeply flawed.

According to him, several APC members are presently in detention over matters he described as politically motivated. He further claimed that his personal safety had been compromised since the election, stating that he had been unable to reside freely in Gusau due to alleged intimidation.

The Zamfara State Government had earlier accused Matawalle of masterminding the alleged harassment of opposition figures through the NSA’s office, following the reported abduction of Saleem Abubakar, a Technical Assistant to Governor Dauda Lawal, in Abuja.

In a statement issued by the governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Idris, the state government alleged that Abubakar was apprehended by operatives believed to be linked to a special forces unit operating under the NSA’s office, reportedly without an arrest warrant or adherence to due process.

The government described the incident as alarming and distressing, alleging that Abubakar was moved between undisclosed locations to conceal his whereabouts. It warned that such actions could undermine the neutrality and credibility of Nigeria’s security institutions and called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently intervene.

The state government further maintained that if Abubakar had committed any offence, he should be formally charged and tried in accordance with the law.

However, Matawalle’s camp has continued to deny any involvement in the alleged arrest or harassment, insisting that the claims form part of a calculated political effort to discredit the minister and tarnish the image of federal security agencies.