Follow Us on Google
…As protest trails police invasion of ex-Zamfara gov’s residences
From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Immediate past governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle, said yesterday that Friday’s unlawful invasion of his houses in Gusau and Maradun, respectively, by Police officials from the state, who were apparently acting on the instructions of the State governor, Dauda Lawal, was an illegal action that could throw the state into serious crisis, thus worsening the security situation of in the state.
Matawalle, in an interview with BBC Hausa, explained that the claim that over 40 cars belonging to the state government were recovered from his house in Gusau and Maradun, was incorrect, stating that most of the cars parked at his house were his personal cars, while some were branded cars that were donated for the 2023 election campaign.
He said: “I have never seen this kind of ‘madness’ anywhere in the world. How can security officials invade someone’s house without court orders and ransacked the house for whatever reason?
“There was no court order that backed up the actions of the state government.
I reside in Abuja, and all these while no one reached out to me with any court orders regarding the invasion. Obviously, this action was done out of mischief and blackmail.
“For instance, in my Gusau house, they forced their way into the house, opened all the rooms including my wives’ rooms and made away with all that was contained there including their dresses. This action of the governor is unnecessary. He should focus on solving the problems facing Zamfara and its people, and try to provide good governance.”
Matawalle maintained that the action of the governor could trigger negative response from his supporters who might not want to take the humiliation from the government.
“The governor obviously wants to throw the state into serious crisis that will worsen the situation there. I was a governor in the state and he knows that I have people in the state, and these people would not allow him carry on with this humiliation.
“In Maradun, they picked all the cars, most of them Volkswagen Golf, which people donated for 2023 campaign. Many of these cars were branded with the pictures of President Tinubu/Shettima, and myself.”
He promised not to for the return of the cars because he has enough of them for use. “I was a car dealer before I became governor. All the vehicles that I acquired before I became governor, they packed (sic) them all.”
He, however, promised to take action on the matter, but refused to disclose the action that he might, legal or something else.
Meanwhile, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Sani Shinkafi, has condemned police invasion of the residences of immediate past governor Zamfara State, Bello Mohammed Matawalle, in Gusau and Maradun.
Shinkafi, in a statement, said it was outrageous, despicable, barbaric and impunity taken too far by the police.
He called on the Inspector General of Police, Baba Alkali, to order his personnel to vacate the occupied premises immediately.
He said: “I condemn in strong terms the invasion of former Governor Bello Mohammed Matawalle’s residences in Gusau and Maradun, his home town in Zamfara State.
“It is outrageous, despicable, barbaric and impunity taken too far by the Police.
It is inconceivable that the Police would invade the homes of the immediate past governor few days after he handed over power peacefully to Governor Dauda Lawal of the Peoples Democratic Party. Nigeria is governed by the rule of law, not might.
“All lovers of democracy should condemn this dastardly action of the nation’s law enforcement agents, who took laws into their hands to invade Matawalle’s homes in Gusau and Maradun in Zamfara State and condoned off roads leading to the houses in flagrant violation of his fundamental human rights as enshrined in the 1999 constitution as amended. It is unfair, unjust and unacceptable.
“I call on the Inspector General of Police to order his personnel to vacate the occupied premises immediately. If the police think he has a case to answer due process of the law must be followed. Nigeria is not a banana republic.
“I strongly condemn this politically motivated action of the Police to embarrass, harass and intimidate the former governor of the state. This show of shame must stop to save our hard earned democracy.”
