NSA, Matawalle, using security personnel for political persecution – Zamfara Govt
Zamfara State Government has accused the National Security Adviser and the Minister of State for Defence of alleged harassment of opposition figures in the state using federal security agents.
A statement issued on Wednesday by Sulaiman Bala Idris, the Spokesperson for the Zamfara Governor, described the situation as disturbing and reckless detrimental to Nigeria’s reputation.
According to the government, Matawalle has been using the office of the National Security Adviser to harass and intimidate the opposition.
The Zamfara government said that the latest of such brazen disregard to the rule of law was the abduction of one of the governor’s aides in Abuja by security agents from the office of the NSA, with the prompting of Matawalle.
Mr Idris stated “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.
“The illegal abduction was said to have been carried out by a special forces unit from the office of the National Security Adviser. 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.
“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. This is a perilous precedent that all Nigerians must strongly condemn. No amount of desperation is worth compromising the neutrality of the security.
“We cannot afford to fold our arms and watch the highest security office of the country being used as a tool of political persecution.
“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.
“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.
“We are closely monitoring this case of federal impunity and will follow it to a logical conclusion, ensuring that justice is served.”
