Matawalle: Judging a book by its cover, by Jack Okude

It’s all too obvious that Bello Matawalle, the Minister of State for Defence, is one of the most misunderstood public officials in the country. He was governor of Zamfara state from 2019 to 2023. Matawalle came under intense media attacks recently and from the same sources that had felt uncomfortable with his political trajectory. And more significantly with his closeness to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

This can only point to one undeniable fact. Matawalle is a victim of politics, far from the picture being painted of him. His traducers, obviously high on political sophistry and drunk on a toxic broth of vengeful politics, fail to judge him using empirical, verifiable indices. This is the danger of judging a book by its cover, or reviewing a book without reading it. Either way, the auditors of Matawalle’s political profile and his role in the containment of banditry in the north west, have mis-read the book which Matawalle had become. It’s a book steeped in strategy, loaded with satire and scripted with cryptic lines in some places, making it difficult for persons of low intellect who cannot discern the satirical lines of the author, to understand.

This is what happens when you judge a book by its cover. Just because, you don’t like the cover of a book, you huff and puff that the book lacks substance when in reality, the same book contains nuggets that you need to cure you of your complicated diseases of hatred, virulent revulsion and atavistic aversion. Matawalle’s sin is his adoption of non-kinetic approach in the fight against banditry and terror. The two dark networks afflicting Nigeria at the moment. On account of his deployment of emotional intelligence, psychological operations (PsyOp), de-radicalization and rehabilitation, economic empowerment, among other non-kinetic strategies, he was portrayed as being sympathetic of banditry and the bandits. This, taken textually and in context, is a fallacy; a spin fabricated in the foundry of extreme politics.

But it bears restating that the non-kinetic approach adopted by Matawalle was not entirely his sole idea but that of the northern governors whose states came under the scourge of banditry and terror. During his era as governor, there were pictures and videos showing other governors holding dialogue with leaders of the bandits. Now, you wonder why these critics left the other governors who adopted the same approach and focused on Matawalle. The reason is: Politics!

Matawalle is neither a fan of banditry nor a sponsor of same. Politicians, especially those from his north west geopolitical zone, are the ones promoting this dimwitted narrative just to de-market a man whose rise in the nation’s political horizon, particularly as a champion of north west politics and a strong determinant in the zone’s power equation, is both sterling and stellar. But they have failed in their ignoble gambit oiled by pecuniary inducements. The recent spiral of events and confessions by some vested interests in north west politics have vindicated Matawalle.

The consistent sermons of the nation’s Intelligence community on the deployment of non-kinetic approach to secure the release of abducted Nigerians in different states further justifies Matawalle’s technique which he deployed as Zamfara governor and which he currently favours as the first phase of negotiation before the deployment of the kinetic approach of guns-a-blazing, bombs and mortars.

But take away politics from the niggling matter of banditry and terror. A stronger global persuasion recommends the use of non-kinetic approach especially in developing countries like Nigeria where poverty, lack of access to education and affordable healthcare make people fall into the hands of terror merchants who bait their recruits with money, food and other social amenities which the country should have provided for them.

Experts have continued to advocate for the use of non-kinetic methodologies in combatting communal conflicts, the type the country is battling with today. They say this approach should involve a huge 75 percent of the strategy while kinetic approach, the use of military might, should be about 25 percent and should be deployed only when non-kinetic approach has failed.

Matawalle adopted this model as governor and it helped to protect the lives of the people rather than the kinetic force which leaves casualties on the side of the bandits and the same people you want to protect. The war against terror and banditry demands such measure because the enemies have integrated themselves among the people whom they use as shield in moments of attack. It is a case of the carrot and the stick favoured by the military.

As governor, Matawalle dangled the carrot and was able to preserve the lives of the citizens. It must be emphasized that banditry in Zamfara predated his arrival at government house. He inherited it. By his carrot approach of active engagement of all stakeholders in the ecosystem, he pushed back the seething rage of the bandits. The Gusau-Anka-Gummi road which was a no-go area before he emerged as governor became safe again during his tenure. Other roads including the famous Wurno-Isa- Shinkafi- Gusau road, a fortress of bandits, reopened for commuters. Markets, including the popular cattle markets were opened as socio-economic activities made a rebound under his tenure. Matawalle has brought his signature non-kinetic approach to the Defence Ministry and some people are mis-reading the dashboard from their biased side of the prism.

The recent successes recorded in the release of some abducted Nigerians without shooting a gun which could have endangered the lives of the abductees mirrors the Matawalle template. By adopting the non-kinetic approach to release the abducted Nigerians, it will be unfair to tag the military apparatchik as sympathisers and promoters of terrorism and banditry. Such impression rubbishes the efforts of the NSA and the entire security network.

It is on record that under Matawalle’s watch as governor, over 1,000 captives were released by bandits without any ransom paid. This was achieved through dialogue and negotiations with relevant stakeholders and the bandits. On November 8, 2020, the 26 schoolgirls abducted by bandits from Faskari in Katsina State were released unconditionally by the bandits, following a non-kinetic approach facilitated by Matawalle. The freedom of many other abductees was effected under Matawalle during his tenure which on record, was the safest four years in the state. This freedom was won by the non-complicated act of negotiation and stakeholder engagements. This approach has been widely lauded by citizens and security experts as not only effective but also promotes the principle of preservation of citizens’ lives in moments of crisis.

Obviously, Matawalle is a victim of baleful politics. Those attacking him and profiling him as a banditry apologist are politicians and their obtuse hirelings who mischievously or ignorantly conflate non-kinetic approach to taming terror with sympathy for same. They lack the intellect to see beyond the lucre-tainted walls of their mental prisons.

President Tinubu, a leader who has demonstrated superior grand vision for a better Nigeria than any leader in this 4^th Republic, needs the calming effect of Matawalle to secure the north west without spilling the blood of the innocents. Besides, the President needs the vast network and political equity of Matawalle to win the full confidence of the zone to advance his development and political agenda for a prosperous Nigeria.

On this note, President Tinubu should ignore the rancid rancor from the Matawalle haters. The minister is working with the security apparatchik in a seamless synergy that promotes unity, effectiveness of non-kinetic measures and preservation of the lives of citizens. He deserves commendation, not deprecation.