Former Zamfara State Governor and incumbent Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle looted a total sum of N15 billion while in office as governor between 2019 and 2023, communication strategist and publisher, Jackson Ude disclosed on Wednesday.
Ude, a United States of America based businessman cum journalist recently threatened to open a can of worms about alleged atrocities of Matawalle after an associate of the latter, Ibrahim Dosara accused him and others of promoting terrorism.
In a series of tweets on his verified X handle @jacksonpbn on Wednesday, Ude said the junior minister used his cronies to siphon funds while serving as Governor of the North-West State for a period of four years.
“From 2019 to 2023 when current Minister for State, Defence, Bello Matawalle, served as Governor of Zamfara State, he looted over N15billion of the state funds using cronies who were strategically placed in different positions and made signatories to special accounts.
“First, Matawalle brought in Kabir Balarabe and Bashir Salihu to be the signatories to the Zamfara Governor’s office Account in UBA with account number 1019753657, Zenith Bank with account number 1017280841, and Guaranty Trust Bank with account number 0216155676,” he wrote.
In yet another tweet, Ude noted said: “Balarabe’s date of birth is given as 15th March 1966. His cell phone number 08036528306, his BVN is 22252647440. Salihu, who is the second signatory to the Governor’s office Account gave his date of birth as 21st January 1975. He is linked to phone number 08065615828 and his BVN is 22357054372.
“Balarabe and Salihu on multiple occasions, signed and withdrew nearly N8 billion in cash and took the loads of cash to Matawalle’s 39 bedroom Home on GRA Road, Gusau, Zamfara State.”
He added that “Matawalle also brought in Abubakar Bello Ruwan Dorawa and Aliyu Aminu Abubakar to be signatories to the Zamfara State VAT office with Zenith Bank Account number 1014480255 and Zamfara State Accountant General’s Account with Zenith Bank Account number 1010743572.
“Dorawa, has his date of birth as 12th June, his cell phone number 07060596412 and BVN 22187364685; and Abubakar with a date of birth given as 4th March 1966 and his cell phone number08062353333 and BVN 22187382919.
“Both men withdrew over N3billion from those accounts and took the cash withdrawn to Matawalle’s home in Gusau.”
Highlighting their operational modalities, the media mogul revealed that “Most of those cash withdrawals were later converted to dollars and made it to Matawalle’s homes at 85 Nelson Mandela Street, Asokoro and 1 Abdou Diouf Street, Asokoro where they are kept in different safes.”
“To conceal his looting of Zamfara State, Matawalle’s Zenith Bank Accounts are not heavily funded. He does not keep a lot of money in his accounts.
“What the crook does is that he maintains a Zenith Bank Credit Card where he takes cash from his safes to his bank where it is then loaded to his credit card. Almost $4million have been spent on his Zenith Bank credit card,” he added.