The Minister of State for Defence, Dr Bello Muhammed Matawalle, has sharply criticised former Minister of Transport Rotimi Amaechi following his call for Nigerians to protest the country’s economic hardship.

Matawalle accused Amaechi of trying to incite violence and warned him against making statements that threatened national stability.

In a statement released through the Ministry of Defence’s Director of Information, Henshaw Ogubike, Matawalle rebuked Amaechi, calling his statements “reckless and irresponsible” for a former public official.

“It is both reckless and irresponsible for a former public servant of Amaechi’s standing to incite Nigerians against their own government,” Matawalle asserted.

He expressed concern over the dangers of such remarks, especially “at a time when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is working tirelessly to address the challenges facing the nation through various reforms that are yielding results.”

Matawalle condemned what he described as a ploy to exploit citizens’ hardships for personal political gain, labelling the rhetoric as “absurd, preposterous, and shameful.”

Reaffirming President Tinubu’s commitment to maintaining peace and security, the Defence Minister warned that any attempt to destabilise the country would not be tolerated.

“We will not allow anyone to fuel violence or manipulate the prevailing situation of our people,” he said, cautioning Amaechi against further inflammatory remarks.

“It is expected that Amaechi joins hands with the Government to move the country forward,” Matawalle concluded, adding that the former minister should abandon “myopic assertions” that fail to support national progress.