A United States lawmaker, Kimberly Daniels, has called on President Bola Tinubu to redeploy or remove the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, following 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. She highlighted the worsening security situation in parts of the country and urged the Nigerian government to review leadership within the defence sector.
Her comments come after renewed attacks in Nigeria’s North-Central and North-West regions during the 2026 Easter period. Several people were reportedly killed in incidents across Plateau, Kaduna and Nasarawa states.
According to Daniels, the security assessment examined the implications of Nigeria’s current defence leadership amid the surge in violence. The report also referenced attacks on religious gatherings during Palm Sunday and Easter services.
She said testimonies from community leaders and survivors suggested a gap between official assurances and the realities faced by residents in affected areas.
The report, Daniels noted, raised concerns about Matawalle’s continued stay in office. It cited alleged “red flags,” including claims of links with bandit groups during his tenure as governor of Zamfara State and questions about his security experience.
Daniels therefore called for a leadership review within Nigeria’s defence ministry to restore public confidence in the government’s security strategy.
“To the Government of Nigeria, the results of the assessment urge President Tinubu to ‘look inward’ and remove elements that compromise national security,” she said.
“Specifically, immediate leadership review. The removal or redeployment of Minister Bello Matawalle to restore the integrity of the defence ministry.”
She also called for a transparent investigation into allegations of high-level complicity in banditry and urged stronger protection for vulnerable communities.
Daniels further appealed to 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.”
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. Recurrent attacks by armed groups and bandits have raised concerns about the effectiveness of current strategies and leadership within the defence sector.
