A grand plan orchestrated by the Zamfara State government to launch a smear campaign against former governor and current Minister of State Defence, Hon. Bello Matawalle, has been uncovered. The campaign aims to pit Matawalle against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Investigations into a viral video featuring Bello Turji, a notorious Northwestern bandit kingpin, implicating Matawalle in the rising armed banditry in Zamfara and beyond, revealed that the video was masterminded by ex-convict Musa Kamarawa. Kamarawa, who was imprisoned by Matawalle for gun running and aiding bandits, was commissioned by the Zamfara State government to create the video.

Kamarawa allegedly enlisted his younger brother, Aminu Kamarawa, to visit Turji at his hideout and conduct the interview that set the smear campaign in motion. It was discovered that prior to the interview, Musa Kamarawa, who is an in-law to Turji, had been planning the campaign in Zamfara Government House.

The video features Turji, who is aggrieved by the recent arrest of his relatives at Sokoto International Airport after their return from Mecca. Turji accuses rival bandit leaders Kabiru Maniya and Bashar Maniya of revealing his secrets to security operatives, leading to the arrests and attacks on his followers. The Maniyas had repented and surrendered their weapons to the Defence Intelligence Agency during Matawalle’s administration.

Turji’s accusations against Matawalle center on allowing the Maniyas to keep their weapons after they repented. Angered by Matawalle, who had him imprisoned, Musa Kamarawa sought to retaliate by launching the smear campaign. He recruited Islamic cleric Musa Assada Sokoto and other critics of Matawalle to help execute the plan.

Further investigations revealed that the video clips are being edited by a social media handler for Governor Dauda Lawal, identified as Mugira Yusuf. Yusuf has a history of editing videos to tarnish Matawalle’s reputation and is currently defending Turji’s actions and possession of arms.

The smear campaign aims to undermine Matawalle’s credibility and create discord within the federal government. The NDLEA and other security agencies are closely monitoring the situation as investigations continue.