A popular Sokoto-based Islamic scholar, Sheikh Murtala Asada, known for his relentless preaching against banditry and bad governance, has challenged President Bola Tinubu’s government to investigate the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Mattawalle, to prove its sincerity in the fight against insecurity.
The cleric said nothing should stop the Federal Government from investigating the Minister and others accused of complicity in backing terrorism in Nigeria’s North West if they are indeed serious about fighting banditry.
Asada’s challenge comes days after Kachallah Bello Turji, a notorious bandit leader operating in the Nigerian North West regions of Zamfara and Sokoto, released a video accusing the Defence Minister of fully backing terrorism plaguing the country’s North West region. The Minister denied the allegation through his media consultant, Deyemi Saka.
The bandit kingpin further referenced previous allegations made by Sheikh Murtala Asada that there were bandits and their sponsors operating within the city.
During his Sunday preaching in Sokoto, Sheikh Murtala Asada said that if the Federal Government of Nigeria were sincere about ending terrorism, they would have immediately reacted to this revelation.
“Is Bello Mattawalle supposed to continue holding the position as the Minister of State for Defence up to this moment? Because all evidence has been proven against him, or has it not?” The crowd chorused in the affirmative. “Has it not been proven that there are bandits in the cities of Sokoto? Should they not be arrested and investigated?”
The fiery scholar continued, “Please tell me, are there indiscriminate killings of people or not? This simply shows that the Federal Government is only wasting its time negotiating with these bandits when those sponsoring the bandits are within the cities.
“If you negotiate with ten bandits in the bushes, those within the cities will facilitate and kidnap hundreds more victims and send them back to the bushes. The bigwig sponsors are living in the cities.”
“Oh, Muslim Ummah, we must all dedicate ourselves to seeking divine intervention through prayers. It is due to these prayers that God is now exposing them. Dan Ubayyu, the leader of the hypocrites of God, you know that Bello Turji has absolute knowledge of the dirty deals going on between politicians and bandits because he was one of those bandit leaders at the forefront during the negotiations. God forced him to speak up. This is a result of the prayers of Nigerians, and he came out to confirm that there are bandits in our cities. He listed some of those in the cities of Sokoto, and anyone following the issue of insecurity knows that they are still in the cities of Sokoto. People like Kabiru Maniya, Bashir Maniya, and Buhari are currently in the cities, living lavishly in their houses.”
The cleric also admonished the Sokoto State Government not to abdicate its responsibility to the people by ensuring that those who are suspected of aiding and abetting banditry in the state are apprehended and prosecuted.
“What we are asking of the government of Sokoto is that they should hasten efforts to arrest and investigate those aiding and abetting banditry because I swear what is happening these days in the North of Sokoto is a cause of serious concern.
“We are praying to God to bring the situation under control. Nigeria is facing numerous challenges, and we are praying to God that all the atrocities confronting the country are dealt with. We pray to Allah that whoever is involved in putting us in this situation, may Almighty Allah put them in the same situation. Those that are suffocating us, may Allah reward them back with atrocities. May Allah empower and protect any person who is wishing good for this country wherever they are,” he added.
Video source: @RigasaTV
