Breaking: Matawalle seeks court order to halt media reports on alleged terrorist links

Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Bello Matawalle, has filed a lawsuit at the Kano State High Court seeking to restrain several media organisations from publishing reports alleging his connection to terrorist groups.

The legal action, filed Wednesday evening under Case No. 4, resulted in an interim injunction barring Sahara Reporters, Mikiya, Omoyele Sowore, and a number of other outlets from releasing or circulating stories linking the minister to terrorism. The court order is expected to remain in effect pending the hearing of the substantive suit.

The move comes amid a wave of heated public debate following media reports accusing Matawalle of having ties to unnamed terrorist organisations. The allegations gained traction in the aftermath of the recent leadership reshuffle that saw former Defence Minister Mohammed Badaru replaced by General Christopher Musa.

In his application, Matawalle argued that the publications were defamatory, unverified, and capable of misleading the public. He urged the court to prevent further dissemination of what he described as false claims that pose a risk of irreparable damage to his reputation.

He further warned that allowing such reports to circulate unchecked could exacerbate misinformation and undermine public trust in the country’s defence institutions.

The court is expected to set a date for hearing the substantive matter in the coming days.