The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has dismissed allegations linking the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, to banditry, describing the claims as baseless, unfounded and politically motivated.
The student body said the former Zamfara State governor was being unfairly targeted at a time the country required unity and collective resolve to confront worsening insecurity.
In a statement issued on Wednesday (today), the President of the Senate, NANS Headquarters, Comrade Usman Adamu Nagwaza, said the allegations formed part of a deliberate campaign to politicise national security for selfish interests.
Nagwaza explained that following extensive consultations and internal reviews, the association had passed a vote of confidence on Matawalle, insisting that the minister was a victim of media blackmail and political persecution.
According to him, claims alleging that Matawalle had links with terrorist commanders or provided support to bandits had been thoroughly investigated and found to be without merit.
Naijaonpoint reports that the NANS leader said the association, working alongside independent investigators and journalists, established that the accusations lacked credible evidence and were driven largely by political motives.
“NANS does not represent barbarism or criminality. Our concern is Nigeria, especially students, who are directly affected by insecurity,” the statement read.
He added that it was irresponsible for individuals to exploit the nation’s security challenges to launch attacks on public office holders without proof.
NANS urged President Bola Tinubu to continue to support the Minister of State for Defence and protect him from what it described as campaigns of calumny by “charlatans”.
The association also called on the President to declare a state of emergency on insecurity and further empower the armed forces to intensify operations against criminal elements across the country.
The student body appealed to Nigerians to rally behind the Ministry of Defence and reject what it termed the politics of character assassination.
It maintained that Matawalle remained a dedicated public servant, warning that Nigeria could not afford to lose “its best hands” to political battles at a time when national security required focus, cooperation and sincerity.