The Zamfara State Government has accused the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, of using federal security agencies to harass and intimidate opposition figures in the state.
In a statement issued on Wednesday night, the spokesman to the state governor, Suleiman Bala Idris, alleged that Matawalle was exploiting federal power to persecute political opponents, describing the development as “disturbing and unacceptable.”
Idris claimed that the state government was compelled to speak out following what it described as the illegal abduction of a government official in Abuja.
According to him, “We received a shocking and distressing message that Saleem Abubakar, a Technical Assistant in the Office of the Zamfara State Governor, was abducted in Abuja yesterday.”
He alleged that the abduction was carried out by operatives linked to the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
“The illegal abduction was said to be carried out by a special forces unit from the office of the National Security Adviser,” Idris said.
The governor’s spokesman further accused Matawalle of masterminding the operation, claiming it was coordinated through the NSA’s office.
“The most unfortunate and worrying part of the abduction of Saleem Abubakar is that it was syndicated through the office of the NSA by the State Minister for Defence, Bello Matawalle,” he alleged.
Idris stated that the operatives allegedly acted without an arrest warrant and took Abubakar to undisclosed locations in an attempt to conceal his whereabouts.
“The abductors, without an arrest warrant, took Saleem to an unknown location, which we later found out they moved him to different facilities to cover their tracks,” he said.
He described the incident as a dangerous abuse of power, warning that it could undermine the credibility of Nigeria’s security institutions.
“This is a perilous precedent that all Nigerians must strongly condemn. No amount of desperation is worth compromising the neutrality of the security,” Idris said.
The Zamfara State Government called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene and rein in the Office of the National Security Adviser.
“We call on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to call the office of the National Security Adviser to order. Such reckless actions are detrimental to Nigeria’s reputation,” he added.
Idris maintained that if there were any allegations against Abubakar, due process should have been followed.
“If the Defence Minister or the abductors of Saleem Abubakar from the National Security Adviser’s office have any problem with him, they should charge him in court instead of abducting him,” he said.
He concluded by saying the state government would pursue the matter until justice is served.
“We are closely monitoring this case of federal impunity and will follow it to a logical conclusion, ensuring that justice is served,” Idris stated.
