Claims multiple attempts on his life amid political tensions; ex-aide dismisses allegations as “baseless and untrue”

The Senatorial aspirant for Zamfara North Senatorial zone, Dr Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi has accused the Minister of State Defence, Bello Matawalle  of allegedly trying to terminate his life.

Addressing journalists at his resident in Gusau on Monday, Dr. Shinkafi said, the minister has on several occasions allegedly sent some people to kill him but did not succeed.

He said, “Matawalle has been trying to eliminate me just for political reasons”.

“The first time was in Gusau during the wedding prayer at Rabi,a jumuat mosque where some heavily armed men descended on me in an attempt to kill me if not for the quick intervention of the people around”.

“The second time was in my house in Abuja where a woman was cought with a weapon who confessed after being dealt with that she was sent by the Minister to kill me”.

“I don’t know why this man (Matawalle) does want me alive after all the help I rendered to him when he was trying to secure a second term in 2023”.

Dr Shinkafi further explained, the Minister has petitioned him to EFCC for alleged collecting money from the government without executing any project. 

“In the petition he said, I collected money from the government during his tenure using my company but did not execute any project”.

“He even said that, I was sponsoring terrorists just to tarnish my image but God so kind that, the people of the state in particular and the country in general know the role I have been playing in fighting banditry”.

He maintained that, the money he collected from the government during Matawalle’s tenure was for his ( Matawalle) reelection campaign and the fund was spent for that purpose.

Dr Shinkafi said, the Minister was more angry with him because he purchased form for senatorial primary election, and refused to step down for consensus.

He is not happy that, I now purchased nomination form for senatorial primary election and I said that I will not step down for anybody”.

“I am calling on my family, friends and political associates to note that, if I am killed or abducted at this time, they should blame nobody but Matawalle”.

“He would be held responsible if I happen to die these days”. Concluded Dr Shinkafi.

Efforts to speak with the Minister failed as he did not pick up the phone calls after several attempts.

But his former Director General Media and Publicity Yusuf Idris said, there was no iota of truth in all the accusations levelled against the Minister by Dr Shinkafi.

Idris said, Dr Shinkafi could not substantiate his allegations against the Minister, stressing that, all the allegations were baseless and untrue.

He said, all the allegations are baseless and untrue”. “Dr Shinkafi is just trying to smear the good image of the Minister”.

“Let me tell you, the Minister is not even aware of all these rubbish coming from Dr Shinkafi”.