By Denis Agbo

A former presidential spokesperson in the South-East, Josef Onoh, has publicly urged the Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Muhammed Matawalle, to consider resigning following the resurfacing of a 2021 video.

In the video — which Onoh cited in his statement — Matawalle, while governor of Zamfara State, discussed approaches to addressing violence and banditry in the North-West. Onoh said the contents of the clip have prompted debate and, in his view, raise questions about whether past statements are compatible with the responsibilities of a senior defence official.

Onoh framed his call as an opinion about public confidence in defence leadership. He said that officials in sensitive security roles should avoid any perception of divided loyalty and that maintaining public trust is important for effective policy and operations.

He asked Dr. Matawalle to consider the option of stepping down to forestall concerns about impartiality. As an alternative, Onoh urged the President to review the matter if he deemed it necessary.

The statement is Onoh’s perspective; it does not allege criminal conduct. No new official action or response from Dr. Matawalle or the Presidency was included in Onoh’s call.