The Minister of State for Defence Bello Matawalle, on Tuesday challenged the Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal to swear an oath with the Quran that he has no hands in banditry affecting the state.
Matawalle gave the charge while rejecting the governor’s claim which linked him to banditry in the state.
Speaking on Channels TV’s Sunrise Daily, the minister recalled how he swore using the Quran that he had no connection with banditry in the state.
Lawal had charged the minister to address the allegations of him sponsoring banditry and money laundering during his tenure as governor.
Reacting, Matawalle said: “Let me remind you when I was a governor, I was the only governor that swore by the Holy Quran that I have no hand or connections with banditry or I am not happy with what is happening. I swore that if I was happy or part of it, God should not give me one second.
“I challenged all the politicians that time including Dauda, but none of them could take the oath. But I took it because I know my mind, I know I have a clean heart. And not only that, including all my councillors, chairmen, and commissioners, I will not give you an appointment, you have to take the oath.
And up till tomorrow, I am challenging these people to take the oath that I have taken.
“They are part of the banditry, if not, let them take the oath with the holy Quran openly with all the Imams in Zamfara State. And since that time none of them have taken this oath.”