A northern advocacy group, the Northern Socio-Political Rights Network (NSPRN), claims it turned down a N200 million bribe allegedly offered by political proxies to orchestrate a protest against President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle.

 

In a statement released on Saturday in Kaduna, the group alleged that the bribe was offered earlier in the week, with specific instructions to publicly accuse President Tinubu of shielding Matawalle from corruption investigations.

 

NSPRN President, Mohammed Farouk Lawal, described the offer as part of a broader scheme aimed at undermining the Federal Government’s influence in the North-West by discrediting key officials loyal to the President.

 

“We were approached by individuals claiming to represent top officials in Zamfara. They offered us N200 million to stage a protest in Abuja against President Tinubu and Matawalle,” Lawal said. “The goal was to create the illusion of mass northern dissatisfaction and outrage over perceived immunity granted to certain ministers.”

 

Lawal said the group outrightly rejected the offer, emphasizing their commitment to integrity and grassroots representation. “They saw our clean record and strong northern base as a potential tool to legitimize their agenda. But we are not for sale,” he added.

 

He further revealed that the proposal included reading pre-written statements at press briefings, staging demonstrations at the EFCC headquarters, and producing viral videos demanding Matawalle’s arrest.

 

The group asserted that this revelation casts doubt on the authenticity of recent protests against the Defence Minister, suggesting they were sponsored and not reflective of genuine public sentiment.

 

“This is a politically motivated campaign designed to discredit loyal appointees and sow division ahead of the 2027 elections. We refuse to be used,” Lawal said.

 

The NSPRN called on security agencies to investigate the alleged sources of funding for politically driven protests, warning that unchecked manipulation could threaten national stability.