Group drums Support for Matawalle, Warns Against Smear Campaigns

From: Femi Oyelola in Kaduna

A group under the auspices of the Arewa Joint Initiative for Peace (AJIP) has condemned recent attacks on the Minister of State for Defense, Mohammed Bello Matawalle, labeling them as orchestrated smear campaigns aimed at destabilizing the region’s security progress.

In a press conference held at Arewa House in Kaduna today, the group expressed its unwavering support for the Minister while taking a firm stance against the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) and other organizations that it described as unpatriotic.

Speaking on behalf of the initiative, spokesperson Aminu Abbas Arabi characterized the recent criticisms directed at Matawalle as a political witch hunt driven by hidden agendas.

He remarked that the CNG has strayed from its original mandate of representing Northern interests and is now pursuing a self-serving agenda.

“The CNG’s recent statements are not only misguided, but they also undermine the very people they claim to represent. By engaging in a campaign of misinformation against Minister Matawalle, the CNG exposes its true nature: a political entity more focused on self-interest than on the welfare of the Northern populace,” he stated.

The AJIP emphasized the Minister’s efforts in addressing the root causes of conflict in the North, commending his military effectiveness, community engagements aimed at restoring trust, and security reforms designed to confront criminal elements and banditry.

The coalition asserted that attacking the Minister at this critical juncture is tantamount to undermining the foundation of peace in the region.

Additionally, the group appealed to President Bola Tinubu, urging him to remain vigilant against political opportunists seeking to influence the administration’s security strategy for personal gain.

The spokesperson underscored that Matawalle remains a crucial asset in the administration’s goal of restoring order across Nigeria.