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State of Emergency: Zamfara Governor Declares War Against President Tinubu, Matawalle
***Builds ₦10 Billion War Chest to Wrestle
***Says Zamfara Won’t Be Like Rivers
The Northern Patriots for Justice and Democracy (NPJD) has accused Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, of launching a political war against President Bola Tinubu and Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, over mounting calls for a declaration of a state of emergency in the state.
In a statement issued in Kaduna on Sunday and signed by its president, Alhaji Ibrahim Shehu Gwandu, the group said Governor Lawal has pulled out ₦10 billion from local government funds to bankroll a nationwide and international propaganda campaign aimed at deflecting pressure from the presidency and portraying Zamfara as politically stable.
“We have credible intelligence that Governor Dauda Lawal has withdrawn over ₦10 billion from Zamfara’s local government account to fund media propaganda, mobilise surrogate groups locally and internationally, and mislead the world into thinking Zamfara is not on the brink of collapse,” Gwandu said.
“This war chest is being used to shield his administration from scrutiny, distract the world from the state’s ongoing legislative coup, and dissuade President Tinubu from acting decisively.”
The group also alleged that part of the governor’s media strategy is to sponsor fictitious civil society groups to launch a coordinated smear campaign against Matawalle, including authoring phony petitions to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
“These groups have been paid to fabricate petitions against Matawalle and frame him as the enemy of progress in Zamfara,” Gwandu said.
“They are manipulating the narrative, trying to make it seem like the former governor is being hounded for corruption, when in reality, it is Matawalle’s close ties to President Tinubu and his firm stance on insecurity that have made him a target.”
Gwandu further accused the governor’s camp of “weaponising falsehood” against the federal government.
“There is now a calculated attempt to shift public anger toward the presidency by pushing the narrative that Tinubu is responsible for the hunger in the land. But the truth is, Dauda Lawal has squandered the resources of Zamfara State and has virtually nothing to show for his almost two years in office,” he said.
Zamfara has faced growing calls for a state of emergency in recent weeks. Armed attacks have intensified across several local government areas, displacing thousands and deepening the state’s humanitarian crisis.
At the same time, the political structure has fractured, with 10 suspended lawmakers forming a parallel assembly and claiming legislative authority—effectively splitting the house into two warring factions.
The NPJD warned that Governor Lawal’s actions amount to an open confrontation with the federal government.
“This governor says Zamfara is not like Rivers. But what does that mean? The people of Zamfara are dying daily. Children, farmers, traders are caught between bandits and political egos. And instead of cooperating with federal authorities, he’s preparing for war against the same government elected to secure our lives,” Gwandu stated.
“It is irresponsible and dangerous for any sitting governor to wage a political battle against the Commander-in-Chief while his state burns. The message from Gusau is clear: Dauda Lawal is more concerned with 2027 than with the lives being lost in Zurmi, Anka, Maru, and beyond.”
The group condemned the use of state funds to influence public perception, calling it a grave abuse of power.
“Let it be known that Zamfara State is not a monarchy. The constitution does not give any governor the right to withdraw billions of naira without transparency and accountability. That money belongs to the people. Yet we hear of payments made to PR consultants, political lobbyists, and social media influencers to defend the governor rather than defend the people,” the statement added.
Gwandu said NPJD had already submitted petitions to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over the alleged financial infractions.
He warned that civil society groups across the north would soon embark on mass action if the federal government fails to act.
“We will not watch in silence as Zamfara is turned into a personal kingdom. If nothing is done, we will mobilise peaceful protests across major cities in the north to draw attention to the abuse of office and worsening insecurity. Enough is enough.”
The group also urged President Tinubu to remain resolute in his mandate and not be swayed by “stage-managed” appearances of stability.
“President Tinubu has a duty, not just to the constitution but to every Nigerian, to act in the interest of national security. Zamfara cannot be allowed to descend further into anarchy because one man wishes to avoid federal oversight. The law must take its course.”
Gwandu further called on traditional rulers, community elders, and religious leaders in Zamfara to speak up, saying their voices are crucial in preserving the state’s democratic integrity.
“Zamfara is bleeding. The people deserve a leadership that puts their safety above politics. This is not a time for fence-sitting. If they remain silent, history will judge them as enablers of the current rot.”
As the federal government considers its next steps, the unfolding drama in Zamfara is fast becoming a test case of constitutional authority, state accountability, and the limits of political grandstanding in the face of national security.
More than ₦3 billion was targeted, but about ₦677 million reached the culprits, with recovery and prosecutions underway, reflecting how banks are responding to more sophisticated fraud risks.
Nigeria’s expanding digital banking sector is facing increasingly sophisticated fraud attempts, as financial institutions adapt to faster transactions and broader online services.
A recent case involving First City Monument Bank (FCMB), linked to fraudulent activity detected in December 2025, has drawn attention to how banks are responding to such incidents, with a focus on limiting exposure, recovering funds and working with law enforcement.
According to findings referenced in proceedings before the Lagos State Special Offences Court, the incident involved unauthorised transactions tied to a digital product. Early reports erroneously suggested more than ₦3 billion was lost. Subsequent clarification shows that over ₦3 billion was targeted, ₦2.4 billion was blocked and recovered, while ₦677 million got into the possession of the culprits. This outcome reflects the bank’s cyber security and monitoring capabilities, as well as improved collaboration among regulated financial institutions and with law enforcement agencies. Several suspects and beneficiaries have been apprehended, while recovery and prosecution efforts are ongoing, led by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Proceedings at the Lagos State Special Offences Court have resulted in convictions, including that of a repeat offender, with restitution orders issued. Related matters are also being handled at the Federal High Court in Lagos, where additional suspects are being tried in connection with the scheme. This process is aimed at ensuring that bad actors are identified and permanently blacklisted from the financial system.
Authorities say recovery efforts are continuing as additional funds are traced.
Analysts note that the pace of legal action reflects closer coordination between financial institutions and enforcement agencies in addressing cyber-related financial crime.
The case comes as banks contend with more complex fraud methods, including social engineering and automated exploitation of system processes.
As digital products and platforms expand, so too does the risk associated with cyber-crime and related fraud.
“The scale of digital banking means risks are evolving alongside the systems,” said a Lagos-based financial analyst. “Institutions are now judged by how they manage these events.”
Observers say the sector is moving toward a stronger focus on response and recovery, rather than prevention alone.
This includes improving monitoring capabilities, strengthening transaction controls and enhancing collaboration with regulators and law enforcement. The FCMB case, with limited exposure relative to the amount targeted and ongoing recovery, reflects that shift.
For customers, the primary concern is the safety of their funds. In this case, there has been no indication of losses affecting customer deposits. Maintaining that level of protection remains central to sustaining trust in the financial system.
Nigeria’s financial sector continues to grow, supported by digital innovation and expanding access to banking services.
However, analysts say fraud attempts are likely to persist as systems become more complex and interconnected.
They say institutions will increasingly be judged not only on their ability to prevent incidents, but on how effectively they respond and recover when they occur.
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Ex-APC Deputy Guber flag bearer, Joshua MacIver backs Tinubu, express fears over implosion in Bayelsa APC
….congratulates new State Party Chairman, Warman Ogoriba
APC Deputy Governorship Candidate in the 2023 general elections in Bayelsa State, Great Joshua MacIver has declared his total commitment to the re-election of President Bola Tinubu come 2027, declaring that the Tinubu re-election project is non-negotiable.
Great Joshua MacIver, in his statement titled ” BAYELSA APC CONGRESSES: GOING FORWARD, A CALL TO LOOK INWARDS” and made available to newsmen in Yenagoa, warned APC leaders in the state to look Inward and take note of certain factors which may hinder or cut short our victory.
According to Great Joshua MacIver, such noticeable pitfalls include the imbalance in the united front being put up by the State Governor,Senator Douye Diri among various political blocs in the state.
In the statement issued at the weekend. Great Joshua MacIver stated that “First, before His Excellency, Senator Douye Diri, joined the APC in the state, there were clearly two political blocs that made up the party, with the approximate population ratios of the blocs standing at 95% to 5%.”
“After the entrance of His Excellency, Senator Douye Diri, ONLY THE SMALLER BLOC IS BEING CARRIED ALONG IN THE AFFAIRS OF THE PARTY, leaving the greater percentage to their fate, and this situation has the potential to build anger and dissatisfaction in our dear party.”
” The consequence of this has been the high level defection we have witnessed in the party recently and we believe more may likely follow, if we do not put our house in order.”
” If we do not pull together as a party, we may witness a situation where we will lose key stakeholders, especially after the State and National Assembly Primaries as well the Gubernatorial Primaries.”
“Finally, while it is very clear that we are the party to beat in the 2027 elections and that our loyalty to Mr. President IS NON-NEGOTIABLE, we must make haste to say that we cannot afford to create situations or loopholes in our unity which will be exploited by other political interests in the state. We cannot afford to under-rate anyone.”
“Our core interest remains the re-election of Mr. President, a project to which we have committed our all. We also pledge our total loyalty to the party as we have no alternative to the APC. However, our concern is that we must, as a party, look inwards and ensure that we do not create loopholes that can impede our common goal.”
Great Joshua MacIver, however congratulated the newly elected State Executives of the APC in Bayelsà State led by Hon. Warman Ogoriba, saying their emergence is welcomed at this critical time in our national history.
At least 23 people were killed in a series of suspected suicide bombings, police in Nigeria’s northeastern city of Maiduguri said on Tuesday.
https://www.stanbicibtcbank.com/nigeriabank/personal/products-and-services/all-loans/stanbic-ibtc-mreif-home-loans
More than 100 other people were injured in the blasts that took place on Monday evening in the capital of Nigeria’s restive Borno state.
No group has claimed responsibility for the suspected attacks.
The deadly blasts come after a military post was attacked overnight Sunday to Monday, which authorities blamed on suspected Islamist militants.
This sad incident is coming barely two weeks after Primate Elijah Ayodele, the Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church specifically warned against attacks in some states. He mentioned these states while calling on security operatives to pay close attention to them.
These were his words:
“Another attack is coming up in these following states where the military must watch carefully and intelligently; Kano, Kaduna, Zamfara, Kebbi, Niger, Borno, Kwara and Kogi state. They want to do a deadly attack, it’s preventable but it depends on how they will handle it. I have told you about the danger coming up.”
@primateayodele
Unfortunately, some of our military agencies don’t believe spiritual intelligence can save the country from so much danger hence, their neglect of this prophetic warning but now, it has been fulfilled with the miliary losing credibility by the day while Primate Ayodele continues to gain momentum.
Likewise, At least 26 passengers and crew sustained varying degrees of injuries on Monday following an accident involving the Kaduna–Abuja train, according to the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC).
Opeifa explained that the train departed Rigasa in Kaduna at 7:15 a.m. and was approaching Asham station around 9:16 a.m. when a loud bang was heard after the power car and trailing locomotive collided with one of the passenger coaches.
In July 2025, Primate Ayodele asked nigerians to pray not to see train mishap on the Kaduna-Abuja route.
@primateayodele #nigeriantiktok🇳🇬 #fulfillment #train #abuja #primateayodele
“Let’s pray not to see train mishap in Abuja-Kaduna, Kaduna-Abuja route.”
This has also been fulfilled.
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