Opinion
International Conspiracy: $50,000 Blackmail Plot Targeting Matawalle Aims to Destabilize Nigeria
By Suleiman Abbah
The revelation by Ambassador Abdul Danbature of a $50,000 blackmail plot against Nigeria’s Defence Minister Bello Mohammed Matawalle has sent shockwaves across the nation. This disturbing report, originally brought to light by the Pacific News Times, exposes a dangerous scheme aimed at undermining Nigeria’s national security by tarnishing the reputation of a key government official.
The earlier emergence of a video featuring a notorious bandit leader making baseless allegations against Minister Matawalle, coupled with the timing of these allegations in conjunction with the foiled #Endbadgovernance protests, paints a grim picture of an orchestrated campaign intended to destabilize the North and weaken the federal government’s machinery.
Danbature’s disclosure that the financial inducement was offered to tarnish the image of a senior government official suggests a meticulously planned campaign with potentially dire consequences. The ambitious offer to assassinate the character and reputation of a key defense figure within the Nigerian government is emblematic of a troubling trend of international interference in the country’s internal affairs.
The context surrounding this blackmail plot suggests a more comprehensive agenda at play, drawing connections between the alleged smear campaign and strategic socio political events transpiring in Nigeria’s northern region. The correlation between these events and the presence of media narratives featuring unsubstantiated accusations against Minister Matawalle hints at a local conspiracy with the potential involvement of international collusion.
This revelation highlights the vulnerability of Nigeria’s political system to external interference and manipulation. It raises questions about the integrity and security of the country’s government officials and institutions. If a Defence Minister can be targeted for blackmail, what other key figures in the government are at risk of being compromised?
The implications of this blackmail plot go beyond just one individual or ministry. It speaks to broader issues of corruption, influence-peddling, and foreign interference in Nigeria’s political landscape. It raises concerns about the extent to which the country’s sovereignty and national security are being threatened by external actors seeking to manipulate and control key decision-makers.
The fact that the offer came through a local intermediary suggests that there may be domestic collaborators involved in this nefarious scheme. This raises questions about the extent to which corruption and collusion are undermining the integrity of Nigeria’s political system and eroding public trust in the government.
Ambassador Abdul Danbature’s decision to expose this blackmail plot takes courage and integrity. It demonstrates a commitment to transparency, accountability, and the rule of law. It sends a strong message that such attempts to undermine Nigeria’s national security will not go unchallenged and that those responsible will be held accountable.
The involvement of external actors in Nigeria’s internal affairs is a cause for concern and requires a coordinated response from the government, law enforcement, and security agencies. It is essential to identify the individuals and entities behind this blackmail plot and to take appropriate measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The ongoing machinations aimed at disrupting the relationship between the President and Matawalle serve as a reminder of the complex interplay of power, loyalty, and influence in Nigerian politics. The Minister’s steadfast defense of the President’s ideals highlights not only his indispensable role within the administration but also underscores the threats felt by those who perceive his growing influence as a challenge.
The engagement of foreign collaborators in this political tug-of-war signifies more than mere transactional politics; it reflects a deep-seated anxiety among self-appointed adversaries of President Bola Tinubu. These individuals perceive the Matawalle’s growing influence and proximity to the President as a direct challenge to their aspirations and agendas. In a political landscape that is fraught with volatility, the Minister emerges as a singularly indomitable force, showcasing not only loyalty but also a nuanced understanding of the complexities involved in governance.
Indeed, Matawalle’s ability to cross these treacherous waters, marked by both external pressures and internal dissent, positions him as a crucial bulwark against the multitude of storms that threaten Tinubu and the administration. His unwavering support for the President’s ideals, coupled with a strategic vision for the future of Nigeria, illustrates why he is increasingly seen as the only reliable figure amidst a cacophony of competing interests. This reality is particularly disconcerting for those who feel their political capital waning in light of the Minister’s ascendancy.
Moreover, the deliberate attempts to create rifts between the President and Matawalle seem to stem from an understanding that collaboration between these key figures is essential for reinforcing governance and addressing the myriad challenges facing Nigeria today. The Minister’s role in fortifying this collaboration and enhancing the President’s support base cannot be overstated. His commitment to the President’s agenda reflects a rare blend of political acumen and visionary leadership, qualities that his detractors find increasingly threatening.
As Nigeria navigates its multifaceted challenges, the Minister’s position as a reliable ally of the President will undoubtedly continue to play a pivotal role in shaping the country’s political landscape and ensuring that Tinubu’s ideals of governance are effectively promoted and defended.
The timing of this revelation, during a period of heightened political sensitivity, indicates that there are concerted efforts to destabilize Nigeria’s leadership and create chaos and confusion. It is imperative that the government remains vigilant and takes proactive steps to safeguard the country’s national security and protect its key officials from external threats.
The fact that a foreign source was willing to offer such a significant sum of money to compromise the Defence Minister’s credibility underscores the lengths to which some actors are willing to go to achieve their nefarious objectives. It is a stark reminder of the dangers posed by external interference in Nigeria’s political affairs and the need for constant vigilance and decisive action to counter such threats.
As Nigeria’s political environment grows increasingly complex, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu must remain vigilant and proactive in countering destabilizing maneuvers aimed at undermining the government. Collaboration with international partners who share a vested interest in maintaining peace and stability in Nigeria is crucial. It is imperative for the international community to respect Nigeria’s sovereignty and support its government in upholding law and order.
The issue of national integrity and security is of paramount importance for Nigeria, a nation facing numerous internal and external threats to its stability and democratic order. Nigeria’s unity and security are constantly under strain from various sources – an insurgency and banditry in the North, ethnic and communal tensions, secessionist agitations, and the infiltration of criminal elements. Robust and proactive measures are absolutely necessary to confront the forces of destabilization and safeguard the principles of democracy, peace, and good governance.
Decisive action is required to neutralize these threats and reaffirm the government’s capacity to protect its people. Crucially, this effort must involve a united national front, with all arms of government, security agencies, and the general public working in concert. Divisive partisanship or sectarian loyalties have no place when the very foundations of the Nigerian state are at risk.
Politicians, community leaders, and opinion-shapers must rise above narrow interests and rally the populace around the common cause of preserving the country’s territorial integrity and social cohesion. Beyond the domestic front, Nigeria also requires the understanding and support of the international community.
As the most populous country in Africa and a regional powerhouse, Nigeria’s stability is intrinsically linked to the peace and security of the entire sub-Saharan region. A destabilized Nigeria would have dire consequences, from exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in neighboring countries to fueling the scourges of human trafficking and irregular migration.
Therefore, Nigeria’s bilateral and multilateral partnerships must be anchored in the principles of mutual respect for sovereignty, the promotion of peace, and adherence to international legal norms. While the international community has a legitimate role to play in encouraging democratic reforms and upholding human rights, its interventions should not be employed to undermine Nigeria’s legitimate efforts to restore law and order.
Peaceful protests are a constitutional right, but violence and destruction of public property cannot be tolerated in the name of protest. Ultimately, the defense of Nigeria’s national integrity and security is a responsibility that transcends partisan politics or ideological divides. It requires a comprehensive strategy that combines robust law enforcement, intelligence-gathering, and conflict resolution mechanisms with a unifying national narrative that resonates with all Nigerians.
Only through such a concerted effort can the country overcome the specter of chaos and uphold the democratic aspirations of its people.
There is something common in politics and with Politicians in this clime, it stems from the arrogance of power, it stinks to high heavens, it is shit in its worst form; that a few men and women play God, they assume that their egocentric predilections represent the collective will, and they undermine the Law as well as the mindset of the electorate. They move to Party B with the mandate given to Party A by the People. And they Cross-carpet or decamp to another Party without deference to the provisions of the Law.
Just yesterday the entire Political Structure in my home State of Delta was led by the State Governor Mr. Sheriff Oborevwori from the Peoples Democratic Party PDP to the All Progressive Congress APC, that tsunami of sorts happened without firm reasons but the usual refrain that ‘they want to align with the centre for more democratic dividends to come to the State’. I wouldn’t have opted to do this piece had the All Progressive Congress APC made great feats of the States under its watch, alas President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (PBAT) and his followers are masters of deceit, subterfuge and perfidy. They spew soulless propaganda, having no soul they lack moral margins, they lie about everything and they destroy the moral fabrics of our nation. They are shameless, spineless and have no scruples.
Where is the Soul of the men of power who dumped the PDP just yesterday for the APC in Delta State? They have chosen to stand on a Blood Stained Mandate. They have elected a Hunger ridden mandate. They have chosen a corruption riddled mandate. They laud an insecurity enabling mandate. They salute a nepotistic mandate. And they dance to a frustration festering mandate. Had the PBAT led APC at the Centre made Nigeria better than it met her, I would applaud Governor Sheriff and his fellow travelers, but the truth is what consistently the APC, including Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and his men have chosen to trample upon, nay the Truth is that under the PBAT led APC Government, Nigeria is today worse than it was yesterday.
What logic situates the movement of the Delta State Political Structures from the PDP to the APC at a time when Nigerians feel the most unsafe in their homeland? When the States of Plateau, Benue and Bornu have become theatres of human barbecues. Is it not stupidity to elect a blood stained and a blood soaked mandate over being in a Party in the opposition?
Is it not a show of shame to elect a mandate that has left the masses of the people in poverty, despondency and want over fueling the fervour of an opposition seeking a new deal and a new Republic of hope for the people? Which sincere and people oriented leader would dump the opposition for a Party that is absolutely rudderless and progressively multiplying poverty? Only the soulless and the shameless, surely.
The fulminating shenanigans that undermine the monstrous corruption of the APC Government, the unending Infrastructural decay, the unhinged failure of the energy and the power sector, the pervasive hunger, disease and pain in the land, and the murderous gangs killing and maiming citizens with reckless abandon defines the Olympic soullessness of the Delta State Political Merchants who have elected a Blood Stained Mandate over matching for the redemption of Nigeria.
I believe that it is manifest stupidity to desert the opposition at a time that our nation is in dire straits and badly craving vibrant opposition. I believe that it is a show of shame to decamp to a Party and a Government that has failed to protect lives and property.
And I hereby lampoon with unbridled vehemence all those who have chosen to stand on the blood stained and blood soaked mandate that PBAT epitomizes.
Hmmm, so suddenly my home State is now APC, interesting. A class of less than 300 people nay ‘leaders’ met at the Government House in Asaba, and in one fell swoop changed the political colour, temperature and identity of the State, interesting. My People, this One-Party State wey APC and PBAT dey push and pursue na to what end? PBAT and his Party the APC through this manifest antics of State capture have tied democracy to the stake, and are daily through acts of impunity, lawlessness, and braggadocio shooting violently at democracy, I pray they do not shoot this jingleover democracy to death. I pray that they understand that One Party State is the precursor to Authoritarian Rule and Dictatorship. And I pray that they are not oblivious of the politico-social tendencies of the Nigerian State, a State that cannot and has never been captured by any one tendency. In any case, before they completely murder democracy, it must be on record that someone warned against the Stupidity, against the Show of Shame and against the Shenanigans of our Political Operators.
Call me names, but let it be on record that when the elders and the hoard of egotistic political merchants that predominate our political kaleidoscope fiddled with the poisoned chalice of sycophancy and hypocrisy, I wasn’t quiet. Let it be on record that when they ate poisoned bread baked with blood stained and blood soaked mandate, and when they chose to dance on the tombs of the dead across our space who were unlived because government failed to protect them, that someone called out the discerning, and warned against the omnious times that they make certain.
The sequel to this patriotic effort shall most certainly tell more, reveal more and foretell the pitfalls that a most arrogant and self-seeking political class weave in the path of our ‘democracy’. We have got some difficult days and difficult times ahead.
Call me the Wailer, that’s ok, for I Wail that Nigeria may become Great.
Prof Chris Mustapha Nwaokobia Jnr
Convener COUNTRYFIRST MOVT. A Good Governance Advocacy Group.
It was the famous American former President, Abraham Lincoln who noted that the people when rightly and fully trusted will return the trust.
Thus, when the trust level gets high enough, people exceed apparent limits, discovering new and awesome abilities of which they were formerly unaware.
When trust is placed on those who occupy public office, they need to work had to continue to justify the trust in the people they preside over.Appointment into office is premised on the facts that the appointee is capable and will be of immense values to the realization of the aspirations of the government in power.
Thus, with the coming of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu into office, series of strategic appointment of respected and credible niger9ians were made thereafter.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had the qualities of appointing the right people in the right position, having judged their qualification and capabilities. This is a unique ability which good leaders to possess in abundance.
It was this sense of judgement that made him to appoint Chief Adegboyega Isiaka Oyetola CON as the current minister of Marine and Blue Economy.He was the former chief of Staff to the former Governor of Osun State and later became the governor of the state.
Whereby he displayed integrity, self-awareness, courage, respect, compassion, and resilience. This role allowed him to exhibit his administrative shrewdness and dedication to the advancement of the state.
During this time, he played a critical role in implementing policies and initiatives aimed at improving education, healthcare, and infrastructure.He was later appointed minister of transportation by President Bola Tinubu on 16 August 2023, but redeployed four days later to the newly created Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.
Despite the newness of the ministry, his leadership abilities and acumen as well as his professional qualification eminently qualifies him for the arduous job, for he pursued his education with diligence, earning a degree in Applied Accounting from the prestigious University of Lagos.
With a passion for learning and a keen eye for effective management, he embarked on a career that would see him excel in various sectors.
According to the World Bank, the blue economy is the “sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and jobs while preserving the health of ocean ecosystem.”
European Commission defines it as “All economic activities related to oceans, seas and coasts, the realization that Nigeria has vast ocean ecosystem justifies the creation of the ministry.
The ministry’s four action pillars for its first four years (2023–2027) are: promoting sustainable blue economy investments; transforming port operations; enhancing port infrastructure; and strengthening blue governance.
Under Oyetola’s leadership, the ministry targets attracting $2 billion in investments in offshore renewable energy by 2025; establishing at least five new fish processing plants by 2025 and at least two new coastal tourism sites by 2026; and creating three million marine and blue economy-related jobs by 2027.
The importance of this ministry lies in the fact that the life of the planet and correct functioning of ecosystem services are sustained by marine ecosystems.
The blue economy thus has the potential to achieve a sustainable development which does not compromise life on Earth tomorrow.
Thus, his appointment eminently justifies and in line with the aspiration s to make Nigeria a great nation.His achievements in office are attributed to maritime security and safety, port operational efficiency, infrastructure rehabilitation, connectivity and blue economy development.
The Minister, who unfolds the strategic plans of the Ministry and the Agencies which would focus on maritime security, safety, ship building & maintenance, maritime governance, port infrastructure rehabilitation, capacity building, among others.
Under his leadership, the Nigeria’s territorial waters became safer especially in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG) in the past one year, with the maritime sector recorded zero incidence of piracy and maritime terrorism for more than one year.
Ports were upgraded and his ministry worked assiduously to actualize the implementation of the National Single Window at the nation’s ports to facilitate trade and competitiveness of country’s port system.
The value his outstanding leadership will also impact on the acceptability and reelection of the present administration in 2027.
We Commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the confidence reposed in and the subsequent Appointment of Chief Gboyega Oyetola as the Minister of the Marine and Blue Economy.
He is honest and transparent in his stronger determination to reposition the sector as the leading source of revenue to the country and will surely do more based on his past robust antecedents. We thus call on all Nigerians to support his vision and pragmatic leadership in the office, so as to enable impact the lives of many more citizens of the country.
Dr K.M.Tugga is an Abuja resident and public affairs commentator
By Rinret Jennifer Mwarap
The unrelenting massacre of citizens in Plateau State has reached an alarming level. While the government claims to be taking steps to restore order, the reality on the ground tells a different story one that feels like nothing meaningful is being done.
It is heartbreaking to see our loved ones butchered without cause. The questions torment us: What have we done wrong? Who have we offended? Where did we go astray? Must we continue to endure this suffering for no justifiable reason?
The killing of innocent people in Plateau must come to an end. The government and security forces cannot afford to look away. Their responsibility is clear they must act swiftly and decisively to bring the perpetrators to justice, for the sake of the innocent victims and the children left behind.
I call on the Governor of Plateau State to rise to this challenge. Take bold and immediate action against those who seek to destroy our land and shed innocent blood. Let them face the full weight of the law.
This feels like a nightmare—how did we get to the point where the same Plateau where I once slept peacefully with both eyes closed is now a place where even sleeping with one eye open feels unsafe?
Where is the peace in our “Home of Peace and Tourism”?
When will our tears dry? When will justice prevail?
If we truly seek peace, then justice must be non-negotiable.