Matawalle’s Aide Arrested by Police, SSS for Alleged Gunrunning, Smuggling, Money Laundering

Bashir Hadeija, a close aide to Nigeria’s Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, has been arrested on allegations of gunrunning, weapon smuggling, and money laundering. The arrest, carried out by a joint task force from the Nigeria Police Force and the State Security Service (SSS), followed extensive intelligence gathering.

Hadeija, who previously served as a special assistant to Matawalle during his tenure as the governor of Zamfara State, was apprehended over the weekend. He is accused not only of gunrunning but also of involvement in transnational crimes, including aiding terrorism and other criminal activities in northern Nigeria.

Currently, Hadeija is in the custody of security forces and is undergoing interrogation for his alleged involvement in these serious crimes. Shortly after his arrest, video footage emerged showing Hadeija with bars of gold bearing the image of the late Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi, adding another layer of intrigue to the case.

Although efforts to obtain official statements from police and SSS spokespersons were unsuccessful, multiple security sources confirmed Hadeija’s arrest and ongoing interrogation.

The arrest has sparked widespread reactions, given Hadeija’s connections to high-profile politicians, including Matawalle, and the timing amidst escalating security challenges in Nigeria’s northern regions.

In a related development, notorious terrorist leader Bello Turji, who operates across Nigeria’s North-West and North-Central regions, recently accused Matawalle of exacerbating insecurity in Zamfara State. In a video released on July 18, Turji claimed that Matawalle’s policies as governor, particularly an amnesty program that provided financial incentives and protection to bandits who surrendered their arms, had backfired. Turji alleged that many bandits, after receiving amnesty, simply relocated to urban areas, where they continue to orchestrate violent attacks from the safety of the cities.

Between 2019 and 2023, before his appointment as minister, Matawalle implemented the controversial amnesty scheme, which has since been criticized for failing to curb violence in Zamfara and other northwestern states.