The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Muhammed Matawalle, has firmly condemned what he described as “the reckless and inciting utterances” made by former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, regarding the leadership of President Bola Tinubu.
Matawalle said, “It is both reckless and dangerous for a former public office holder to make such inflammatory remarks. At a time when the government is working tirelessly to consolidate national unity and security, no responsible leader should be fanning the flames of violence and political unrest.”
A press statement signed on behalf of the defence minister, Matawalle and shared by the Director, Press & Public Relations, Ministry of Defence, Henshaw Ogubike, with the media on Thursday night, noted that
Amaechi, speaking at a recent conference in Abuja, “irresponsibly declared that Nigerian politicians must “steal, maim, and kill” to remain in power—an assertion that not only insults the intelligence of Nigerians but dangerously seeks to radicalize the youth and destabilize the peace and security of the nation”.
The statement read in part, “He further cautioned against any attempt to mislead young Nigerians with a warped narrative of violence and anarchy, emphasizing that Nigeria is a sovereign nation governed by laws, not a jungle where power is seized through brute force.
“Let me make it clear: the security agencies are on high alert. Any individual or group found inciting violence or attempting to destabilize this nation will face the full force of the law. We will not tolerate any form of subversive rhetoric that seeks to undermine national unity or incite lawlessness,” Dr. Matawalle warned”.
The statement titled: MATAWALLE TO AMAECHI: DESIST FROM INCITING VIOLENCE OR FACE CONSEQUENCES, ..Characterized Amaechi and his cohorts as an alarming manifestation of the politics of pull him down syndrome, added that the Minister reminded Amaechi that power is earned through democracy, not through intimidation, violence, or lawlessness.
“He reiterated that President Tinubu’s administration remains committed to upholding peace, democratic values, and the security of all Nigerians. His commitment to the unity and progress of our great nation is unwavering. Having experienced both military rule and democratic governance, he would never undermine the very democracy he has fought to uphold.
“Highlighting the achievements of the current administration in a relatively short time, Dr Matawalle confidently asserted that President Tinubu will secure a decisive victory in the 2027 Presidential election”.
He called upon Nigerians to place their faith in the leadership of President Tinubu and to disregard the vituperations of Amaechi and his associates, whom he described as politically irrelevant and out of touch with current realities of national development.
The statement continues, “Amaechi and others who think they can manipulate our youth into chaos should rethink their actions. This government will not fold its arms and allow any individual to disrupt the peace and stability of Nigeria.
“The Ministry of Defence, in collaboration with relevant security agencies, will continue to monitor activities aimed at disrupting public peace and will ensure that anyone found culpable faces severe consequences”.
