In a bold move on Tuesday, Bello Matawalle, the Minister of State for Defence, publicly challenged Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal to swear an oath on the Quran, affirming his non-involvement in the rampant banditry affecting the region. This challenge follows Lawal’s accusations that linked Matawalle to the ongoing violence and criminal activities in the state.

Speaking on Channels TV’s Sunrise Daily, Matawalle recounted a prior commitment he made while in office, where he swore on the Quran to distance himself from banditry. Lawal had previously called on Matawalle to clarify allegations of sponsoring bandits and engaging in money laundering during his tenure as governor.

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Matawalle declared, “When I was governor, I was the only one who swore by the Holy Quran that I had no involvement with banditry and was deeply concerned about the situation. I vowed that if I were part of it, God should not grant me even a second.”

He extended the challenge to all politicians in the state, including Lawal, emphasizing that no one has yet accepted his call to take a similar oath. Matawalle insisted, “They are part of the banditry; if not, let them take the oath with the Holy Quran publicly, along with all the Imams in Zamfara State. To this day, none of them have accepted the challenge.”