Northern  Group defends Defence Minister, Matawalle against CNG smear campaign

Grace Tesem

A Northern group under the auspices of of Arewa Joint Initiative for Peace (AJIP) on Thursday rallied behind Defence Minister, Mohammed Bello Matawalle, condemning a “political witch‑hunt” launched by the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) and other “unpatriotic” outfits.

Addressing a press conference in Kaduna, the spokesperson of the group, Aminu Abbas Arabi said the CNG’s recent attacks on Matawalle are “a disservice to the people of Northern Nigeria” and amount to “misinformation and character assassination.”

He warned that the group’s “indecision” aligns it with forces of destruction rather than progress.

Arabi highlighted Matawalle’s record: bold action against banditry and insurgency, security‑reform initiatives, and sustained collaboration with local communities that have yielded tangible safety gains.

“To attack him is to attack the very foundation of peace we so desperately need,” he said.

The group also reached out to President Bola Tinubu, urging him to “be vigilant against the machinations of political merchants such as the CNG.”

AJIP warned that the CNG’s agenda is “self‑serving” and threatens the security strides made under Tinubu’s administration.

AJIP accused the CNG of “sowing division and discord” instead of fostering dialogue. “The challenges we face; banditry, insurgency, socio‑economic instability demand a united front, not fragmented factions that undermine one another,” Arabi added.

The coalition reaffirmed its firm support for Minister Matawalle, stressing that his leadership at the Ministry of Defence is “crucial for the ongoing efforts to restore order and safety across our regions.”

The group pleaded with all stakeholders; political leaders, civil‑society groups, and citizens to “unite in the pursuit of a peaceful and prosperous Northern Nigeria” and to reject the “divisive tactics” of the CNG.

The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) had recently expressed deep concern over what it described as grave and disturbing revelations contained in the recent confessional statements attributed to Musa Muhammad Kamarawa, a former aide to the current minister of state for defence, Bello Muhammad Matawalle.

The coalition said the allegations go beyond political controversy, saying they strike at the moral foundation of Nigeria’s security architecture; therefore raise critical questions about possible high-level complicity in the criminal networks fuelling insecurity across northern Nigeria.

A statement by CNG’s national coordinator, Comrade Jamilu Aliyu Charanchi, said Kamarawa reportedly detailed claims involving direct transfer of funds to a notorious bandit leader, Bello Turji, the procurement of dozens of Hilux vehicles for groups and the provision of extensive logistical support, including housing, cattle and other assets.

END.