Saskay slams Matawalle for celebrating a political defection while remaining silent on soldiers killed in Boko Haram attacks in Borno State
Tsakute Ladi Jonah, popularly known as Saskay and a former contestant on Big Brother Naija, has criticised Nigeria’s Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, for celebrating a political defection while remaining silent on the killing of senior military officers in insurgent attacks in Borno State.
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The reality television personality reacted on social media after reports emerged that three commanding officers of the Nigerian Army were killed in separate terrorist operations in the state within the past week.
The officers were identified as Major U.I. Mairiga, Lt-Col Umar Faruq and Lt-Col S.I. Iliyasu, who reportedly died during attacks on military bases and clearance operations against insurgents linked to Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province.
The deaths triggered widespread mourning online, with many Nigerians paying tribute to the officers who died in the line of duty.
However, Matawalle drew criticism after taking to his X account on Monday to celebrate the defection of Dauda Lawal, the governor of Zamfara State, to the All Progressives Congress.
Saskay described the minister’s silence on the fallen officers as deeply troubling and accused political leaders of neglecting the sacrifices of soldiers fighting insurgency.
In a post on X, Saskay wrote: “The death of Nigerian soldiers and military commanders fighting terrorists and your lack of dignity with as little as a statement marks a historic moment. When the revolution starts, we will remember how little you all cared about citizens.”
The comment quickly triggered reactions across social media, with some users supporting the reality TV star’s position while others criticised the tone of her remarks.
Several commentators argued that public officials should prioritise acknowledging the sacrifices of military personnel during periods of heightened security challenges.
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The exchange highlights growing frustration among some Nigerians over how political leaders communicate during times of national tragedy, particularly when security forces suffer casualties in the fight against insurgency.
David Okere is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering business, governance, public affairs, and human-interest stories with a commitment to accuracy, balance, and public interest reporting.
