From the moment President Bola Ahmed Tinubu appointed Hon. Bello Muhammad Matawalle as Minister of State for Defence, the political atmosphere around him has been anything but quiet. Instead of allowing him the space to work, certain voices, often anonymous, often coordinated, have consistently pushed narratives crafted to distract, discredit and derail his momentum.
It forces us to confront one undeniable question:
Who exactly is afraid of Matawalle? And why does his performance unsettle so many?
Because the pattern is impossible to ignore, attacks have followed him not for lack of delivery, but because of delivery.
Performance Without Noise — Results Without Drama
Unlike many who build their careers through press conferences and flattering headlines, Matawalle has chosen the more demanding route: work first, talk later. His stint as Minister has been marked by motion, presence, ground action and real outcomes, not theoretical promises.
His loyalty to President Tinubu has been unwavering, visible not only in words but in responsibility taken and results produced. The President himself has publicly commended him on several occasions, a recognition earned through work and consistency, not request or negotiation.
But perhaps his most defining moment yet came with an operation that will remain historic in Nigeria’s security chronicles.
Kebbi School Abduction: A Defining Test of Leadership
When students of Government Secondary School, Maga, in Kebbi State were abducted, there was no time for politics or image management. The President gave a firm order, Matawalle, go to Kebbi. Stay there until the students are rescued.
He did not hesitate. He travelled. He coordinated. He stayed on the ground, through long nights, shifting intelligence, field operations and delicate negotiations. And when the dust settled, Nigeria witnessed something extraordinary:
All abducted students were rescued, alive, unharmed, and returned to their families.
Not partially. Not in phases.
All of them.
Matawalle’s rising credibility threatens certain political interests, interests that depend not on national security, but on narrative control and power calculations. When a minister begins to build public confidence through results rather than slogans, he becomes harder to weaken and easier for Nigerians to trust.
That is what some people fear.
They see a minister gaining respect through action. They see a northern appointee standing firmly behind the President. They
see a politician who does not beg for relevance, he earns it.
And those who cannot match performance resort to whisper campaigns, smear strategies, and manufactured outrage.
Because competence is a dangerous thing, it exposes laziness.
Visibility through achievement is unsettling, it threatens power blocs. And loyalty with effectiveness is rare, it changes equations.
The Attacks Will Not Erase the Facts
Despite all the attempts to diminish him, one truth remains clear: Nigerians are watching, quietly, closely, and intelligently. They see his presence in conflict zones. They see his diplomatic engagements abroad. They see the President entrusting him with sensitive missions. They see rescued children returning home because a minister stayed on the field and refused to fail.
People know work when they see it.
Matawalle Should Remain Focused — The Nation Needs Results, Not Noise
Nigeria is at a turning point in its journey towards stability. This is not the time to break the spirit of those working to secure the country. Minister Matawalle must not allow detractors or orchestrated hostility to distract his mission. His path is clear — service, security, stability.
Let those who fear his rise continue shouting.
He should continue working.
Because history never rewards critics, it rewards achievers.
And when the story of this administration is written, it is not the attacks that will define Matawalle’s legacy, but the lives saved, policies strengthened, and victories secured under his watch.
Nigeria needs peace — not politics.
Nigeria needs results — and Matawalle is delivering them.
That is exactly why he is being attacked.
And that is exactly why he must continue.
Abdulmumin Sagir Dalhatu
A political scientist and strategist
Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria
