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ABUJA – A United States lawmaker and Chairwoman of the Supreme Council of the United World Congress of Diplomats (UN-WCD), Kimberly Daniels, has called on President Bola Tinubu to “look inward” and act decisively against what she described as internal elements undermining Nigeria’s national security.
In a comprehensive assessment of Nigeria’s worsening security crisis, especially the alleged genocide of Christians, Daniels urged the president to review the country’s defence leadership and remove or redeploy the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, in order to restore confidence in the ministry.
The report, released on Tuesday on behalf of UN-WCD members in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Nigeria and Ghana, also pressed the Federal Government to open up its security system to public scrutiny.
It demanded a transparent investigation into allegations of high-level complicity with banditry, saying only openness and accountability can rebuild the trust of Nigerians.
It further called for stronger protection for vulnerable communities in the North-Central and North-West, where repeated attacks have left many dead, displaced and traumatised.
To the United States government and its international partners, the report urged sustained diplomatic pressure on Nigeria, especially in view of the Country of Particular Concern (CPC) designation by the U.S., so that anyone accused of aiding terrorism would be made to face accountability.
The report was released following a wave of violent attacks in the North-Central and NorthWest, particularly during the 2026 Easter period, when dozens of Christians were reportedly killed in Plateau, Kaduna and Nasarawa states.
According to the document, the assaults were not isolated incidents but part of a disturbing pattern of violence that repeatedly targeted worshippers during Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday services.
Although President Tinubu condemned the killings, the report said voices from affected communities painted a different picture, insisting that official statements had not translated into safety on the ground.
After reviewing the findings, Daniels and other board members of UN-WCD expressed deep concern about the strategic implications of retaining Matawalle in the defence ministry.
The report said several warning signs stood out, including serious credibility and integrity questions arising from allegations of bandit-related complicity during Matawalle’s tenure as governor of Zamfara State.
It also pointed to claims from local testimonies about the harbouring of bandit leaders and the facilitation of ransom payments.
In addition, it argued that his lack of relevant security background weakens professional military leadership and erodes both domestic and international confidence.
The report said the calls for action were not coming from boardroom discussions alone, but from communities that have grown weary of political statements without meaningful intervention.
It added that innocent blood had continued to speak from the ground as attacks persisted. “The position I take on this issue is because of citizens reaching
