We were offered N200m bribe to stage protest against Tinubu, Matawalle - Group

An advocacy group, the Northern Socio-Political Rights Network (NSPRN), has claimed that it was offered a N200 million bribe by proxies linked to the Zamfara State Government to mobilise a protest against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle.

However, NSPRN said it rejected the offer outrightly because it saw through the alleged sinister motive to weaken the President's hold on the North by discrediting key appointees from the region.

This is contained in a statement issued by the group’s president, Mohammed Farouk Lawal, in Kaduna on Saturday, May 10, 2025.

According to Lawal, the offer was made to them through third-party emissaries earlier this week, with clear instructions to publicly accuse President Tinubu’s administration of shielding Matawalle from corruption investigations.

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He described the move as part of a calculated campaign to smear the image of key appointees loyal to the president, thereby weakening the federal government's grip on the North.

“We were approached by individuals claiming to represent high-ranking officials in Zamfara. They offered us N200 million to organise a large-scale protest in Abuja, targeting President Tinubu and Dr. Matawalle,” Lawal said.

“The aim was to give the impression that the North has turned against the president and that there is widespread outrage over perceived protection of certain ministers from investigation. We rejected the offer outright.”

Group accuses network of funding protests against Matawalle

NSPRN also alleged that the same network had already funded previous protests using other groups and was aggressively scouting for new voices to legitimise its campaign.

“They are desperate for credibility. When they realised that our group has a clean record and strong grassroots following in the North, they thought buying us over would amplify their lies. But we are not for sale,” Lawal said.

According to him, some of the terms of the deal included reading out pre-written scripts at press conferences, staging a protest at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) headquarters, and creating viral videos calling for Matawalle’s arrest.

The NSPR said the offer confirms that recent protests against the Minister of State for Defence were not grassroots-driven but part of a “state-funded blackmail operation.”

“What is happening is an internal war against Tinubu’s appointees. We have it on good authority that these attacks are designed to cause disaffection ahead of 2027. But this group will not be part of it,” Lawal declared.

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The group commended Tinubu for appointing northern leaders with capacity and defended Matawalle as one of the few former governors actively supporting military efforts to curb banditry and terrorism in the North.

“While some are busy funding protests, the minister is helping to secure our region. Nigerians must see through this charade,” Lawal added.

It urged security agencies to probe the source of funds allegedly being used to sponsor political protests in the capital, warning that if unchecked, such actions could threaten national stability.