A United States lawmaker, Kimberly Daniels, has called on President Bola Tinubu to redeploy or remove the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, citing concerns raised in a recent security assessment on Nigeria.
Daniels, a Florida state representative and chairwoman of the United World Congress of Diplomats, made the call in a statement posted on her Facebook page, where she highlighted the worsening security situation in parts of the country.
Her intervention follows renewed attacks in the North-Central and North-West regions, particularly during the 2026 Easter period, which left several persons dead in Plateau, Kaduna and Nasarawa states.
According to her, the assessment report reviewed the implications of Nigeria’s current security leadership amid the spate of violence, including attacks on religious gatherings during Palm Sunday and Easter services.
She noted that testimonies from local leaders and survivors pointed to a gap between official assurances and the realities faced by communities on the ground.
The report, she said, raised concerns over Matawalle’s continued stay in office, citing alleged “red flags,” including claims of links with bandit groups during his tenure as governor of Zamfara State and questions over his security experience.
Daniels called for a leadership review within the defence ministry, urging the Federal Government to take steps to restore public confidence.
She said, “To the Government of Nigeria, the results of the assessment urge President Tinubu to ‘look inward’ and remove elements that compromise national security.
“Specifically, immediate leadership review. The removal or redeployment of Minister Bello Matawalle to restore the integrity of the defence ministry.”
The lawmaker also called for a transparent investigation into allegations of high-level complicity in banditry, alongside improved protection for vulnerable communities.
Daniels further urged the United States government and other international partners to increase diplomatic pressure on Nigeria to ensure accountability for individuals accused of aiding terrorism.
“The position I take on this issue is because of citizens reaching out to me from Nigeria,” she said.
“My connection to Nigeria as a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Chairwoman of UN-WCD would not allow me to be silent. Based on the referenced report, the attacks against believers in Northern Nigeria are allegedly protected by leadership from the inside.
“The greatest form of terrorism a person can experience is terror that comes from ‘homegrown familiar enemies.’ When the people you trust to protect you work undercover with others who want to harm you, it must be devastating!”
She added that House Resolution 761, which supports redesignating Nigeria as a country of particular concern over religious freedom issues, has received bipartisan backing in the Florida legislature.
Nigeria continues to face security challenges across several regions, with recurring attacks by armed groups and bandits raising concerns over the effectiveness of current strategies and leadership in the defence sector.
Efforts to get the reaction of Matawalle proved abortive. As of the time of filing this report, he could not be reached on his line. He is yet to reply to the text message sent to his phone
