The All Progressives Congress (APC) National Defence Coalition has denounced a protest held on Tuesday against the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, describing it as an effort by “mischievous elements” to disrupt the fight against terrorism and banditry in northern Nigeria.
The protest, organized by a group called the APC Akida Forum (AAF), took place outside the Department of State Services (DSS) headquarters in Abuja.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Dr. Hamid Ibrahim Katsina, the APC National Defence Coalition’s coordinator, alleged that Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal orchestrated the protest to damage Matawalle’s reputation.
Katsina alleged that this was the second protest of its kind within a month, accusing Lawal of attempting to undermine federal efforts to combat insurgency.
The coalition further condemned the protest, stating that the buses used to transport protesters to Abuja were reportedly official vehicles from the Zamfara State Government.
Katsina called on security agencies to investigate the affiliations of the group involved in the protest.
The statement emphasized that APC factions within Zamfara and beyond remain supportive of the federal government’s anti-terrorism initiatives, warning that efforts to discredit Matawalle could jeopardize security in the region.
