The Concerned Scholars for Peace and Development (CSPD) has thrown its weight behind President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's efforts to tackle banditry in the country.
In a statement signed by its President, Dr. Zaharadeen Mohammed Kabir, the group warned saboteurs and collaborators not to distract the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, and the Armed Forces.
The group specifically disowned a Sokoto State-based Islamic cleric, Mallam Bello Asada, for accusing the Federal Government of sponsoring bandit leaders, describing the claim as false and politically motivated.
Kabir alleged that Asada is a member of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) and has ignored revelations of Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal's payment of N1.378 billion to terrorists and bandits.
The Islamic scholars also called for Asada to be held accountable for his defamatory video, urging Matawalle and troops to remain focused on winning the war against banditry.
"The Concerned National Islamic Scholars for Peace and National Development condemn in the strongest terms the attempts by unscrupulous persons to trivialise the security challenge in the northwest of the country by politicising the issue and urge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu not to allow his administration to be distracted in flushing out criminal elements from the country," Kabir said.
"This condemnation became necessary in the wake of the misleading video published by a Sokoto State-based Islamic cleric, Mallam Bello Asada, who falsely accused the Federal Government of sponsoring bandit leaders. The video has, unfortunately, been promoted by counter-insurgency expert, Makama Zagazola.
"We have since reviewed the facts and found that Mallam Bello Asada is a card-carrying member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), who has conveniently ignored the recent revelations that his paymaster, Zamfara State’s Governor Dauda Lawal paid the sum of One Billion, Three Hundred and Seventy-Eight Million Naira (N1,378, 000,000) to terrorists’ and bandits’ leaders.
"We wonder how Asada became amnesiac to how Governor Lawal paid two hundred million naira each to Kachalla Dogo Gide, Kachalla Bello Turji, and Ado Alero while one hundred and fifty million naira was paid each to Kachalla Halilu Sububu and Gwaska Dan Karami. A responsible Islamic scholar, who has no connection to the bandits would have demanded answers from Governor Dauda Lawal. Asada has no moral right to continue to hide under the cover of being an Islamic scholar.
"It is important to note the political context of these false accusations, especially given the high stakes involved in regional and national politics. The timing and source of the allegations suggest an attempt to distract the Federal Government’s counter-terrorism efforts.
"We reliably learnt that Asada was put up to publishing the video to distract public attention from the leaked document that proved that Governor Lawal paid money to subversive elements that are responsible for the insecurity, killings and kidnappings plaguing the northwest and other parts of Nigeria.
"Asada, who once made a video praying for the death of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for defeating his party’s, Atiku Abubakar at the 2023 General Election, was an automatic choice to produce the pro-terrorist propaganda material that has further undermined security in the region.
"This explains why this character, who had gone into oblivion, is suddenly out to distract the President and the Minister of State for Defence simply because the heat has turned on the bandits especially Turji Bello who has been reported to have been corralled by our Armed Forces and will soon be smoked out.
"We have thus concluded that while Asada’s allegations appear serious, his inability to provide concrete evidence to support his outlandish claims and accusations makes them defamatory.
"We urge the Federal Government to leverage extant legislation to hold Asada accountable for his defamatory video. For instance, several credible Northern groups have condemned similar accusations, describing them as unfounded and politically motivated."
The group called on the Federal Government to be wary of individuals who come out to discredit, distract, and blackmail state actors when the state takes the war to the bandits.
"It's obvious that some are Islamic clerics during the day and bandits at night," Kabir said. He added, "The witch cried at night, and the child died in the morning. We don't have to look for who, of course, killed the baby."
Kabir called on the FG to investigate people like Asada, who seem to be in pain over the decisive actions of the government against the bandits.
"It's obvious that Asada has more to tell the security agencies about the banditry because he is disturbed by the bounty placed on the bandits' leader and fears he will soon be exposed."
The CSPD urged the President not to succumb to distraction but to go all out for the bandits until they all surrender and give up their evil ways.
"More of these characters will come out in the next few weeks as the fight gets hotter to smoke out the bandits from the northwest. Mr. President must remain resolute and committed to the charge given to the Armed Forces."
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