Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal has denied appointing Bashir Hadejia, a suspected terrorist and gunrunner, as a Special Adviser in his government. Hadejia, who was previously a special adviser to the current Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, was arrested last week for alleged treason and subversion against the state.
Following Hadejia’s arrest, a letter dated October 27, 2023, circulated online, claiming that the Zamfara State Government had appointed him as a Special Adviser. However, Governor Lawal, in an interview on Channels Television’s *Politics Today*, dismissed the letter as fake.
“I did not appoint Hadejia as a Special Adviser,” the governor stated. “The letter is forged, and we have already clarified that we had nothing to do with it.”
Governor Lawal reiterated his administration’s commitment to transparency and accountability. He also discussed the security situation in Zamfara, noting that while the state has long struggled with insecurity, conditions have improved, allowing farmers to return to their fields.
“We are making conscious efforts to tackle the security challenges head-on,” Lawal said, emphasizing the collaboration between the state government, the National Security Adviser, and the Ministry of Defence. “Our Community Protection Guards, working alongside conventional security agencies, are helping to ensure that people can safely harvest their crops.”
