The Northern Integrity and Security Forum (NISF) has tackled the former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, over his call for the removal of the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle.
In a statement on Tuesday, the forum’s chairman Tijjani Auwalu said Lamido’s comment was unfortunate, irresponsible, and unstatesmanlike in the wake of the abduction of the Emir of Gobir of Gatawa District in Sokoto State, Isa Bawa, and his son.
The group stressed that Lamido’s attempt to limit Matawalle’s responsibilities solely to Sokoto or the north is a gross misrepresentation of the reality that security is an ongoing national issue, requiring collective efforts and shared accountability across government tiers.
“The timing and target of Lamido’s critique raise significant questions regarding his underlying motives. It is disconcerting that Lamido chose to single out Matawalle, a junior minister while overlooking Badaru Abubakar, the senior Defence Minister, who coincidentally shares the same home state of Jigawa with Lamido.
“We must ask: why direct unrelenting attacks towards a loyal ally of President Tinubu, while seemingly absolving a senior counterpart? Such selective criticism indicates a strategic manoeuvre aimed at undermining the political framework supporting our President, rather than a genuine concern for the nation’s security.
“Moreover, the contrasting nature of Lamido’s recent expressions of empathy for a singular Emir in captivity stands in stark contradiction to his silence throughout the years of suffering endured by ordinary Zamfara communities and other ordinary Nigerians,” the statement said.
The forum noted that thousands have fallen victim to heinous acts of abduction, torture, extortion, and displacement over the past two decades and the absence of Lamido’s voice in addressing these widespread tragedies all this while raises concerns about his commitment to empathy and meaningful advocacy for the Nigerian people.
The forum therefore urged President Bola Tinubu to remain steadfast and resolute against attempts to incite division within his solid support base in the north, adding that the loyalty embodied by figures such as Matawalle, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, and Director-General of the Department of State Services, Yusuf Bichi, is indispensable to the integrity of the current administration and national security.
