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| Turji Reiterates Accusations Against Minister Matawalle, Alleging Support for Terrorism in Northwest Nigeria |
Mohammed Bello Turji Kachalla, infamously known as Turji, has once again accused the current Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, of supporting terrorism in Nigeria's Northwest region.
In a recent video, Turji claimed that Matawalle, the former governor of Zamfara State, has connections with bandits.
In August 2023, President Bola Tinubu appointed Matawalle as the Minister of State for Defence. Matawalle’s tenure as governor was heavily criticized due to the persistent insecurity in Zamfara state.
These new accusations follow a previous denial by Matawalle’s camp after Turji initially linked him to terrorist activities in the region.
Turji, who operates in northern Nigerian states including Zamfara, Sokoto, and Niger, stated, "What I said in the video is that Dan Maigari and Baleri are siblings," alleging Bashari's involvement in armed banditry in Zamfara and Sokoto states.
Turji challenged Matawalle's supporters to investigate his claims rather than dismissing them as propaganda. "If you don't have knowledge about the situation, go and investigate and stop misleading the public," he said.
He questioned the role of Matawalle and others in the kidnapping and subsequent release of female students in Marado. "Since you said Bashari is not a bandit and Matawalle has no hand in the banditry activities, I am asking you from whom did they rescue the girls?" Turji asked.
Turji accused Bashari of continuous operations between Zamfara and Sokoto states without any evidence of surrendering to authorities.
In response, the minister’s camp refuted Turji's claims, describing them as baseless. Despite this, Turji insisted in his new video that his allegations are accurate and based on truth. "Every sensible person is aware of the situation and knows what I'm talking about," he said.
Earlier in July, SaharaReporters reported that Turji had accused Matawalle of complicity in backing terrorism in Nigeria. In the new video, Turji alleged that the insecurity plaguing the country had the full backing of Matawalle.
Speaking in Hausa, he said, “My name is Muhammed Bello Turji, and I am releasing this video to reach all Nigerians, from the leaders to the poor. This is the message I want to convey to everyone.
Gusau, and there is a record for it.”
It said, “The Government House does not have an armory, and it is also on record that the cache of arms was handed over to relevant security agencies of government.
“Anyone with basic knowledge of psychoanalysis of a terrorist and deranged mind like Turji will know that he is engaging in ‘victim mentality.’”
