The ex-governor Bello Matawalle’s home in his hometown was allegedly invaded illegally, according to the Zamfara State All Progressives Congress.
The party called the invasion a “gross violation of sections 34, 35, 37, 41, 42, and 43 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 constitution.”
Yusuf Idris, the APC’s publicity secretary, claimed in a statement on Friday that no law in the nation authorised the police, the DSS, or any other security organisation to enter on a citizen’s property without their knowledge or a warrant.
He emphasised that the DSS and police may have acted improperly and with political motivations.
“Why not charge the former Governor to court instead of using such barbaric and uncivilised means?” the statement asked if the government believed it had a case against him.
“We urge the Nigerian Police Force and Department of State Service (DSS) to act swiftly to stop this misadventure by the Zamfara state Government. The perpetrators must be found and made to bear the severe repercussions of their actions.
To put it mildly, the alleged governor of Zamfara, Dauda Lawal, is accused of ordering the ‘arcane, barbaric, brutal, unacceptable, and an illegal trespass on the former governor’s property in Gusau and his hometown Maradun.
There is no legal provision in the nation that allows the police, the DSS, or any other security agency to enter a citizen’s property without their permission or a warrant.
No governor of a state has the authority to enter other people’s property without their permission, regardless of their justification.
“We demand the immediate arrest and prosecution of those responsible for the police and DSS’s erroneous and potentially politically motivated actions in Zamfara.
“We urge the Inspector General of Police to order a prompt investigation and the prosecution of those responsible for breaking into the two homes of former governor and leader of the APC in Zamfara State Bello Matawalle.
“Roads to his Gusau residence are currently barricaded, and police are present in every residence.
“We also request that the Inspector General of Police order the immediate arrest of the stationed police officers so that they can be questioned about their deployment.
The former governor has asserted on numerous occasions that he has nothing to hide, but any action taken against him or his property must first be pursued through legal channels.
We urge the police, all sister security agencies, and their employees to exercise caution when exchanging political points of view because we cannot support such behaviour, particularly in our beloved state, which is facing escalating security issues.
The home of Matawalle in his hometown of Maradun was reportedly raided earlier in the day by heavily armed security personnel, who took several vehicles away.
The DSS and police, who were present in large numbers, allegedly broke into the former governor’s home, jacked up a number of vehicles, and then took them to the police station in Maradun town, according to Mohammed Ahmed, a resident of the town who spoke with our correspondent.
Ahmed claims that as soon as the security personnel arrived in Maradun town, they went straight to the former governor’s house and began removing the vehicles.
Today in the afternoon, security personnel—many of whom were wearing police uniforms—arrived at the former governor’s residence and pried open the gate.
“They entered the home, took a number of the vehicles out, and brought them to the police station in Maradun Town.
15 vehicles were taken from the home and brought to the police station, according to my count.
Ahmed explained that the security personnel, the majority of whom were dressed in police uniforms, were currently searching the home for additional items.
The police public relations officer SP Yazid Abubakar was unable to be reached for comment because he repeatedly declined to answer the phone.
Governor Dauda Lawal, Matawalle’s replacement, expressed disgust about his predecessor’s theft of numerous vehicles and emptying of the government’s coffers during his inaugural address.
Matawalle hasn’t been in the state since he lost the election, in the meantime.
