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The Nigerian Presidency has addressed concerns over Bello Matawalle's retention as Minister of State for Defence following a recent cabinet reshuffle that saw some ministers removed.
Matawalle, who faces allegations of sponsoring banditry in Zamfara State, remains in President Bola Tinubu's cabinet, with the Presidency dismissing the accusations as baseless.
Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, clarified that President Tinubu had no reason to dismiss Matawalle, stating that thorough investigations by the National Security Adviser (NSA) found no evidence to support the allegations.
Onanuga said during an interview on Arise TV, "I sent something to the NSA asking if he had heard about these claims, and he said no. We have investigated, and they are not true."
Matawalle has been in a public feud with Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal, with both accusing each other of involvement in terrorism and banditry within the state.
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Matawalle challenged Lawal to swear on the Quran that he was not involved in criminal activities in Zamfara to clear his name.
Despite the public allegations, Tinubu's decision to keep Matawalle underscores the administration's confidence in his innocence.
Onanuga emphasised, "The President has heard many stories about him, but the fact that he remains in the cabinet shows those allegations have been investigated and found to be untrue."
The clarification comes at a time when security concerns in Zamfara State remain high, with the government striving to curb banditry across the region.