Shinkafi Demands Proof of Matawalle’s 31kg Gold Purchase
Former Zamfara governorship aspirant Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi has called on the administration of Governor Dauda Lawal to make public the handover note and transition committee report of ex‑Governor Bello Matawalle, which allegedly detail the purchase of 31 kilograms of gold and precious stones between 2020 and 2023.
Shinkafi warned that if the documents are not released in national newspapers within 14 days, he will have no alternative but to refer the matter to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) and the National Security Adviser (NSA) for a thorough investigation.
Background to the Gold Reserve Initiative
He pointed out that three years after Matawalle left office, there has been no further information about his well‑publicised Gold Reserve Initiative, which he presented to then‑President Muhammadu Buhari on 24 October 2020 at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. According to Matawalle, the Zamfara government had acquired 31 kg of gold and precious stones from local miners to strengthen the state’s financial base.
Matawalle told Buhari that the state had received offers from prospective buyers to supply gold bars, explaining that the gold was mined and refined by Zamfara artisans. He said his administration engaged the miners to block the supply chain and prevent the mineral from falling into the wrong hands amid the state’s security challenges.
Buhari commended the initiative, noting it was the first time Zamfara gold had been presented to him since he assumed the presidency. Following the meeting, Matawalle addressed State House correspondents, alleging that foreigners were exchanging arms for gold and stones in Zamfara and urged the Federal Government to investigate.
Questions Over Legality Amid Mining Suspension
Shinkafi stressed the need to verify the quantity of gold purchased with public funds that were meant for projects, salaries and wages. He cited estimates that the 31 kg of gold is worth approximately ₦5.952 trillion at current market prices.
In October 2020, Matawalle claimed the government had saved funds through the establishment of the Zamfara State Gold Reserve Initiative for the benefit of the populace. However, records show that in April 2019, after a Federal Executive Council meeting, the Federal Government suspended all exploration and mining activities in Zamfara State due to widespread insecurity. The suspension, announced by the Office of the National Security Adviser under Major General Babagana Monguno, remained in effect until it was lifted in 2025 — six years later.
Given this backdrop, Shinkafi questioned who authorised the Matawalle administration’s involvement in gold trade while the federal ban on solid minerals mining was still in place to curb armed banditry.
Call for Transparency and Potential Legal Action
The former aspirant urged the current Zamfara State Government to publicly disclose the handover note and transition committee report that detail the gold purchases and the whereabouts of the Zamfara State Gold Reserve Initiative.
He concluded with a firm warning: failure to publish the requested documents within the stipulated 14‑day period will compel him to lodge formal complaints with the EFCC, ICPC, NFIU and NSA, requesting a comprehensive probe into the legality of the Matawalle government’s solid minerals activities during the federal mining suspension.
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