The arrest of Alhaji Bashir Hadejia, a former aide to the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, by security operatives has sparked outrage.

Some Nigerians, who reacted to the development, demanded answers from the authorities after videos and photos indicated that the suspect was connected to top government functionaries and politicians.

Hadejia, who was a special adviser to Matawalle when he was the Governor of Zamfara State, was arrested on Monday.

A search warrant issued to the Nigeria Police Force, FCT Police Command, dated August 12, 2024, showed that the suspect was accused of “treason and subversion against the state”.

Shortly after his arrest became public, photos and videos of the suspect with prominent politicians and celebrities emerged on social media.

Gold bar merchant

A particular video clip seen by Saturday PUNCH on X (formerly Twitter) showed Hadejia displaying what appeared to be a gold bar with the image of a former Libyan leader, Muammar Ghadaffi.

In the 14-second video, he was heard saying, “One tonne, total 24 carats, 1kg. In each box we have 50kg; in total we have one tonne.”

There were about 13 boxes filled with the gold bars on the table. The boxes were labelled, “Central Bank of Libya”.

In a photo that has been trending since the arrest was made public, Hadejia accompanied Matawalle to present some gold bars to the immediate past president, Muhammadu Buhari, in 2020.

Bashir Ahmad, an aide to Buhari, also shared photos showing Hadejia appearing to assist Matawalle in presenting the gold to the president.

The post read, “President Muhammadu Buhari last night at his residence, the State House, Abuja, received Governor of Zamfara State, Dr. Bello Matawalle accompanied by Alhaji Bashir Hadejia. Gov. Matawalle was at the State House to present some gold bars and other precious stones mined in his State. Describe the visuals.”

He was also seen in another picture having a handshake with President Bola Tinubu.

The villa boy

Saturday PUNCH gathered that Hadejia was nicknamed ‘Villa boy’ because of his close connection to the Villa.

In pictures seen online, Hadejia was standing side-by-side with the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru.

He was also seen in several photos facilitating a meeting between the Arewa Consultative Forum and northern politicians with President Tinubu.

A popular Nigerian Fuji musician, Wasiu Ayinde Kwam 1 in his Timeless album dedicated a track to extol Hadejia.

In the track, KI described Hadejia as his friend and that of former governor of Jigawa and now Minister of Defence, Badaru.

“I am going to the North, from Jigawa to Abuja. I am going there to see a distinguished personality, Alhaji Bashir Hadejia is the husband of Aisha, the child of Mohammed Ali, a very big man. He is K1 de ultimate’s friend. He is an ally of Jigawa State calculator, friend to governor Badaru,” Ayinde sang.

Tweeps query Matawalle’s connection

Reacting to the arrest, a tweep, Alade Ayeniromo, wondered why security operatives were not giving the public adequate information on the arrest.

He wrote, “Why is Bashir Hadeija so confidential? Why can’t we have access to the full story, there’s no time names of terrorist financiers have been fully published and they get punished. Omor, Vagabond movie explain so many things around political environment.”

Another X user, A.Y. Rafindadi, said if the arrest had taken place outside the country, there would have been follow-up arrests and confessions.

“In a sane country, Bashir Hadeija’s arrest may just be one of the biggest arrests of the decade. Given how connected he is to past and serving government officials, the likes of Bello Matawalle, who employed him some years back as an assistant,” he stated.

But a journalist based in New York, USA, Franklin Ude, claimed that Hadejia was being persecuted by his former boss.

Ude, who posted copies of the arrest warrant, explained that Hadejia was abducted from his Abuja home on Monday on the orders of Matawalle.

“He is also being accused of enlisting me in his plot to remove the government. The military officials who abducted Hadejia on Monday sprayed powdered substance suspected to be powdered teargas on his face, causing him to become unconscious before he was whisked away to an unknown destination,” he wrote.

According to him, Hadejia is also accused of possessing bars of gold believed to have been stolen from the Libyan Central Bank.

“It is not a case of treason, terrorism or stolen Gold bars. This is just a war of two former friends with one who is in government using his position to intimidate the other,” he added.

Ude, when contacted by our correspondent, declined comment on the matter.

However, a tweep, Abbas Nagwari, said the arrest should not be connected to Matawalle.

He said, “Nobody is claiming that Bashir Hadeja was not a former aide to Matawalle. But why are you avoiding new facts? Matawalle sacked him because of his criminal behavior; and it is the same @Bellomatawalle1 that ensured his arrest. People should think before they speak.”

A Twitter poll conducted by Online PUNCH on Saturday showed that increasing number of Nigerians wanted the government to probe associates of the suspect.

More than 93 per cent of responders demanded that the Federal Government share more information on the arrest and links of Hadejia to senior government officials.

When contacted, the FCT police spokesperson, Josephine Adeh referred our correspondent to the Force spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi.

The Force spokesperson confirmed the suspect’s arrest.

“He is in custody,” he added.

The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, could not be reached for comment as of press time.

The Personal Assistant on Media and Publicity to Badaru, Mati Ali, did not take his calls and had yet to respond to a message sent to him on the matter.

Aide defends minister

Meanwhile, an aide to the Minister of State for Defence, Suleiman Shuaibu, has denied any connection between his principal and the suspect.

Shuaibu stated that he has “never met Hadejia and does not know him personally” while expressing concern over the linking of his principal to him.

He noted that Hadejia had also been “photographed with other high-profile individuals, including President Bola Tinubu, Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila, and National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, but their names are not being mentioned.”

Shuaibu emphasised that Matawalle had nothing to do with Hadejia and that relating them is “uncalled for.”

“If Hadejia is found guilty, he should face the law,” he added.

Northern forum demands probe

A spokesperson for the Northern Elders Forum, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, expressed deep concern over the arrest of Hadejia, describing the revelations as “appalling” and a threat to Nigeria’s stability.

According to him, the alleged activities uncovered ranging from gun-running and treason to cross-border crimes posed a significant danger to the nation’s sovereignty.

He said, “We have not discussed the matter at the Northern Elders Forum level. But as a Nigerian with conscience, I can competently say that the revelations surrounding the arrest of Bashir Hadejia is appalling and the nefarious activities reportedly uncovered by the arrest pose a severe threat not only to the sovereignty of our great nation but also to the very fabric of our society.

Suleiman commended the Nigerian security agencies for apprehending Hadejia, noting that their success in unraveling such a complex criminal network is praiseworthy.

However, he cautioned that this arrest was just the beginning, emphasising the need for deeper action. “The roots of this menace run deep, and Nigerian authorities must act decisively,” he stated.

He expressed alarm over Hadejia’s reported links to international criminal syndicates, which include smuggling stolen gold from Libya and supporting terrorism. Suleiman described these activities as “an affront to our sovereignty and an invasion of our peace,” warning that criminal networks like these do not respect borders.

Particularly troubling, he noted, was Hadejia’s alleged role in sponsoring protests like #EndBadGovernance, which led to violence in the North. Suleiman decried how criminal elements exploited legitimate grievances, leading to instability. “It is shocking to learn that anyone connected to the devastations of recent protests in northern Nigeria had ulterior motives,” he said.

He also highlighted the disturbing connections between Hadejia and powerful political figures, including a former DSS director, urging the government to act decisively.

The President-General of the Arewa Youths Consultative Forum, Alhaji Yerima Shettima, commended security operatives for the arrest.

In an exclusive interview with one of our correspondents in Kaduna on Friday, Shettima described the arrest as a positive development in the fight against terrorism, emphasising the need for thorough investigation and prosecution to serve as a deterrent.

He said, “Well, for us, we look at it in a positive way. Even though he still remains a suspect by the Nigeria law.

“They should do the needful to investigate properly and be sure so that at the end of the day, if he is found wanting, he should serve as a deterrent so that others should know that we are not in Banana Republic.

“We are in a country where law and order prevail. So that those young element or whoever that thinks can do things and get away with all impunity will also realise that there is always bad days.

“They were not even together when he’s the minister. We see his pictures everywhere in the Aso Rock Villa. In fact, he has a nickname called ‘Villa Boy’.”

Shettima also addressed Hadejia’s link to Defence Minister Bello Matawalle, stating that association with personalities did not imply complicity.

He emphasized that Hadejia should face the music alone, and if collaborators were found, they should be brought to book.

The National Chairman of the Northern Comrades Movement of Nigeria, Jabir Yaro said it was a sensitive issue.

“The case should be investigated and the true situation ascertained,” he added.