- Safiu Kehinde
In the wake of banditry sponsorship allegation against Nigeria’s Minister of Defense, Bello Matawalle, by Zamafara state governor, Dauda Lawal, the minister has revealed how the governor used his letter to escape from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Matawalle made this disclosure at an interview on Tuesday.
Speaking on why he often ignore the governor’s allegations, Matawalle claimed he sees as his Special Adviser while narrating how Dauda came to his administration.
“When Dauda had a case in EFCC, they seized his passport so he cannot travel. He went to someone to begging Bashir Yugoda that I should give him my special adviser. I thought it’s normal.
“So I gave him this honorary adviser. We wrote him a letter as my special adviser. That’s why sometimes I don’t respond to issues with him because I look at him as my own special adviser.
“When we gave him this letter, mt SSG asked which position? I said they should call Dauda for. I told him we don’t have much portfolio. What are we going to give you?
“He told me he only needed the letter. I didn’t know that he meant something with the letter. When I gave him the letter, he took it tot the Immigration. He got official passport.
“When he got this official passport. Unknown to me, Dauda followed Keffi through Niger. He wnet to Niamey and catch up flight to UK. I knew nothing about. He was under watch by EFCC then which I was not aware.
“In two months, I got a letter from EFCC that they are investigating Dauda but they realized that he took official passport from my government and left the country.
“I called him and informed him about the letter from EFCC. He said he was sick and there is nothing he can than to see his doctor in UK.
“I told him you cannot put me under defense because if I had known, I would not have given you the letter as my special adviser.
“So somebody with this kind of character, I don’t mind when he go and say whatever he said.” Matawalle narrated.