The Arewa Concerned Citizens group has urged the family of Bashir Hadejia to address their concerns through legal channels rather than leveling unfounded accusations against the Minister of State for Defence, Hon. Bello Matawalle.
Bashir Hadejia was arrested by Nigerian police in August after intelligence reports linked him to the smuggling of a large cache of weapons and significant amounts of gold, allegedly stolen from the Central Bank of Libya.
On Wednesday, Hadejia’s family claimed that his detention in Abuja, which began on Monday, was at the directive of the Minister of State for Defence. They alleged that Matawalle was responsible for orchestrating his arrest.
In response on Thursday, the National Secretary of Arewa Concerned Citizens, Muhammed Mustapha, dismissed the accusations, clarifying that the case falls solely under the jurisdiction of the police, led by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), not the Ministry of Defence.
“Law enforcement and prosecution are the purview of the police, not the Ministry of Defence,” Mustapha stated. “Hon. Matawalle is not the Minister of Police Affairs and has no authority over police operations.”
The family had also alleged that the IGP acted on Matawalle’s orders when arresting Hadejia, claiming that no warrant or formal charges were presented. Mustapha, however, questioned the credibility of these allegations, stating: “Is it reasonable to believe that the Minister of State for Defence, with no control over police affairs, could direct the IGP to arrest someone?”
Mustapha reiterated that the police operate independently under the Ministry of Police Affairs and are responsible for investigating criminal matters without interference from the Defence Ministry.
“It’s alarming how quickly baseless accusations are made. Hon. Matawalle, like any public official, should be judged based on facts, not on groundless claims intended to tarnish his reputation,” Mustapha stressed.
He concluded by advising the Hadejia family to direct their complaints to the appropriate authorities, particularly the police and the courts, rather than unfairly targeting Matawalle.
