The crisis within Nigeria’s defence hierarchy intensified today after Sani Shinkafi, a former governorship candidate in Zamfara State, called for the immediate dismissal of the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, and the complete scrapping of his ministry.
Shinkafi, who signed a statement on behalf of the Patriots for the Advancement of Peace and Social Development (PAPSD), anchored his demand primarily on an old video, currently viral on social media, where Matawalle appeared to sympathise with bandits. The video, recorded by Channels TV in 2021 when Matawalle was the Governor of Zamfara State, captured him stating that “not all of them are criminals” while discussing the activities of bandits in his state.
Shinkafi asserted that the footage depicts the current Minister of State for Defence as a “bandit sympathiser and incapable of combating them,” urging President Bola Tinubu to launch an immediate investigation into the comments.
Beyond the resurfaced video, Shinkafi raised concerns about the internal administration of the Ministry of Defence, pointing to potential clashes between Matawalle and the newly nominated Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (Rtd).
General Musa, who was recently nominated to the role after the resignation of Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, previously served as the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS). Shinkafi argued that it is inappropriate for Matawalle to remain in office under General Musa, who, as a military officer, should be given a “free hand to reorganise and reposition the Ministry of Defence for the tasks ahead.” He stressed that national security must supersede political interests and sentiment, demanding that Matawalle, like the former Minister of Defence, honourably resign or be sacked.
Furthermore, Shinkafi demanded the immediate discontinuation of the office of the Minister of State for Defence, labelling it “unnecessary and an aberration in military command.” He criticised the current structure for splitting the command system, leading to what he described as parallel administrations.
Shinkafi detailed critical areas whose control is allegedly fractured by the dual-minister structure, noting that the senior Minister does not control the maritime domain—a critical component of the national economy and security. He also mentioned that the Pension Board, responsible for veteran welfare, and the Defence Industries Corporation (DICON), which forms the nation’s defence ecosystem, are placed under the purview of the junior minister.
“We cannot have two ministers running parallel administrations in the Ministry of Defence, especially now that the cooperation of every sector is needed to address the security challenges,” Shinkafi concluded, adding that security experts are generally in accord that the office of the Minister of State for Defence should be scrapped to restore singular, focused command.
