Group rejects alleged ₦200m bribe to protest against Tinubu, Matawalle

An advocacy group, the Northern Socio-Political Rights Network (NSPRN), has alleged that it was offered a ₦200 million bribe by proxies linked to the Zamfara State Government to stage a protest against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle.

The group’s president, Mohammed Farouk Lawal, disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday, May 10, 2025, in Kaduna. According to Lawal, the offer was delivered earlier in the week through third-party emissaries who instructed the group to accuse President Tinubu of shielding Matawalle from corruption investigations.

Lawal said the plan was part of a calculated effort to discredit key northern appointees in the federal government and weaken the president’s influence in the region.

“We were approached by individuals claiming to represent high-ranking officials in Zamfara. They offered us ₦200 million to organise a large-scale protest in Abuja, targeting President Tinubu and Dr. Matawalle,” he said.

The statement claimed that the objective of the campaign was to give the false impression that northern Nigeria had turned against President Tinubu due to the alleged protection of corrupt figures. NSPRN said it rejected the offer outrightly after seeing through what it described as a “sinister motive.”

The group further alleged that the same network had bankrolled previous protests through other organisations and was desperately scouting for reputable 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 stated.

According to him, the proposed deal included reading from a pre-written script at press conferences, staging demonstrations at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) headquarters, and producing viral videos demanding Matawalle’s arrest.

NSPRN dismissed recent protests against the defence minister as orchestrated rather than organic, calling them 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 added.

The group commended President Tinubu for appointing competent leaders from the North and defended Matawalle’s efforts in fighting insecurity, especially in tackling banditry and terrorism.

NSPRN also called on security agencies to investigate the source of funds allegedly used to sponsor political protests in Abuja, warning that such tactics could endanger national unity if left unchecked.