Members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Talata Mafara Local Government Area, Zamfara State, took to the streets on Monday to protest what they described as poor governance under Governor Dauda Lawal.

Staging a strong protest against Governor Dauda Lawal, the protesters said that the tenure of the former governor of the State, Dr. Bello Muhammed Matawalle is far better than the present one in terms of economic opportunities, job creation, and security.

The demonstrators accused the governor of neglecting citizens’ welfare, worsening hunger, and imposing candidates in local elections against the will of the people.

During the protest, participants expressed longing for the tenure of former Governor Bello Matawalle, whom they described as more responsive to the people’s needs.

“We miss former Governor Matawalle,” Ibrahim remarked, as fellow demonstrators echoed their agreement. “At least he cared for the people. We’re calling on him to run in the next election, and we will vote for him.”

Led by PDP local leader Muhammad Ibrahim Talatar Marafa, the protesters assembled at the local government headquarters, voicing their displeasure with the administration.

They criticized the governor for allegedly prioritizing personal luxury over the well-being of residents.

“We are tired of Governor Dauda’s policies,” Ibrahim said. “The people are suffering; hunger is rampant and has worsened. Meanwhile, the governor lives a lavish lifestyle, ignoring the plight of the ordinary citizen.”

The protesters also accused the governor of interfering in the party’s internal processes by imposing candidates in the recent local elections, a move they argued undermined democratic values.

“This is not democracy,” Ibrahim stated. “The people’s choice was disregarded. It feels as though Dauda is only interested in furthering his personal agenda, not addressing the needs of Zamfara.”

In addition to electoral concerns, the protesters raised alarms over rising insecurity, saying that the region remains increasingly exposed to bandit attacks. They also lamented the soaring cost of food and the general economic hardship residents are facing.

“The hunger situation here has gotten worse, and there seems to be no solution in sight,” one protester said. “People here are hungry.”

All these happening in the State must have necessitated the Federal lawmaker from Zamfara state, Hon. Sulaiman Abubakar Gummi to leave PDP to Join APC.
Hon. Sulaiman Abubakar Gummi, a Federal House of Representatives member for Gummi/Bukkuyum Constituency, has dumped the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and joined the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The activities of Governor Lawal will spell doom for PDP in the State as the Party will soon be hit with more defection.

The Federal Government has cleared the Minister of State for Defence H.E. Dr. Bello Muhammed Matawalle, over allegations of complicity on banditry in Zamfara State.

As false as these allegations were, the accusers could not come out with convincing evidence to buttress their allegations. It is baseless and unjustifiable!!!

Now that Minister Matawalle has been cleared of perceived wrongdoing, it is time for those who falsely accused him to retract their statements and apologize.

The Federal Government’s investigation found the allegations as recklessness and complicity with banditry to be baseless and politically motivated.

Their intention is to discredit Matawalle so that Mr. President will not deem him fit enough to retain his seat as Minister of State of Defence.

Cabinet reshuffle has come and gone, Matawalle was not removed thanks to his dedication and commitment to service through his contribution to the security of the nation.

It is true that since his appointment, the security situation in North West and Nigeria in general has improved tremendously.

His recent operational visit to Sokoto is a testament that the man is committed to eradicate insecurity.

The Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Tinubu, Bayo Onanuga, in an interview on a national television station, Arise Tv said allegations against the Minister were thoroughly investigated by the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) and found to be baseless and politically- motivated.

According to him NSA’s investigation concluded that the allegations against Matawalle were “mere fabrications”.

He said, “As far as I know, most of those things are just mere allegations.

The Presidential aide also provided insights into the rationale behind the reshuffle, explaining that public perception played a crucial role.

“People are just bringing out all kinds of fake things and allegations. That is why the man Matawalle is still in the cabinet. The President, I am sure, has heard many stories about him.

“For him to be there shows that, as I have said, some of those things have been probed. They are not true,” Onanuga said.

He added that the reshuffle was not solely about meeting the President’s expectations but also addressing the concerns of the public.

Matawalle who has recently visited  the operational base of Operation Hadirin Daji  twice led a successful coordination that culminated to the elimination of Halilu Sububu, a major bandit kingpin and his several lieutenants.

Besides, going by the achievements, proactive commitment to the fight against insurgency, and political doggedness, many opposition figures are uncomfortable with the confidence reposted on him by the President.

The Minister is a strong supporter of President Tinubu in the North.

We are calling on the campaigners of these falsehoods and those behind this pull  him down syndrome politics to retract the false claims, withdraw their allegations and apologize for spreading misinformation.

Consequently, they should also reflect on their actions which are considered harmful and take responsibility of supporting the national security efforts by contributing to the country’s progress, rather than spreading falsehoods.

Ola Olukoyede, the Chairman,  of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Tuesday said cyber crime activities threaten the nation’s most significant assets, its reputation, and economic well-being”. He also warned that it poses grave dangers globally and nationally, urging collective action.

The EFCC boss made the call at the opening ceremony of the Commission’s National Cybercrime Summit at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja, emphasizing the devastating impact of cybercrime on Nigerian youth, eroding traditional values and promoting a get-rich-quick mentality.

Speaking at the summit with the theme: “Alternatives to cybercrime: Optimizing cyber skills for National Development”, Olukoyede noted that global cybercrime losses have been projected to reach $10.5 trillion, ranking it the world’s third-largest economy, with approximately 2,328 daily cases.

He said Nigeria has suffered significantly, losing over $500 million to cybercrime in 2022, even as the EFCC recorded 3,455 convictions in the past year, with a substantial portion attributed to cybercrime.

According to him, the commission recovered significant assets for local and foreign victims. Olukoyede addressed concerns about the EFCC’s focus on internet crimes, reaffirming cybercrime’s threat to Nigeria’s reputation, economic well-being and key assets.

The EFCC chairman stressed the importance of engaging state governors in tackling cybercrime at all levels. ”This time around, we are not only interrogating the problems, we are aggregating workable solutions to it. What alternative do we have for our youth? And that’s where it has become imperative to bring the state governors so that as we are tackling it at the federal level, sub nationals will also have a role to play.

“The enormity of challenges posed to us as individuals and as a country by cyber crimes are grievous as individuals. Youth involvement in these crimes is distorting and corrupting acceptable family values. The tendency towards quick riches no longer positions our young people for enterprise, resourceful intellectual aspirations and technological innovations.

“Projections by multiple sources show that the global loss to cyber crimes may reach a staggering $10.5 trillion, as a matter of fact, the research I did earlier this year confirmed that cyber crime has become the third largest GDP in the world, with approximately 2328 cases recorded daily.

“The implication of all this is that, if left unchecked, cyber crimes portend grave dangers to the entire world. “Bringing it to Nigeria, in 2022 alone, Nigeria lost over $500 million to cyber crimes. These are the realities stalking the Commission’s fight against these crimes. Cyber Crime accounts for a significant percentage of the 3455 convictions recorded by EFCC in my one year as the Executive Chairman of EFCC.

“A significant portfolio of choice assets have also been recovered and returned to both local and foreign victims of cyber crimes by the Commission. We are not oblivious of insinuations and misconception in some quarters that the commission is concentrating its operational works on the fight against internet crimes.

“While this narrative is not really true, the fact remains that cyber crime threatens the nation’s most significant assets, its reputation and economic well being”, he said.