US Lawmaker Demands Matawalle’s Removal Over Insecurity

US lawmaker Kimberly Daniels has demanded that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu immediately remove or redeploy Minister of State for Defence Bello Matawalle as part of urgent reforms to tackle Nigeria’s worsening security situation.

Daniels, a Democratic member of the Florida House of Representatives and chairwoman of the United World Congress of Diplomats, made the call in a strongly worded security assessment released on Tuesday. She warned that repeated deadly attacks on communities have exposed serious gaps in the country’s defence architecture.

NaijaChoice News reports that Daniels highlighted fresh killings during the Palm Sunday and Easter periods in Plateau, Nasarawa, Kaduna and other states. Worshippers and rural residents were targeted, leaving dozens dead and several families displaced.

The lawmaker, who is also a minister of the Gospel, said appeals from Nigerian citizens and her faith compelled her to speak out. She described the violence as part of what she called a “genocide of Christians” and accused Nigerian authorities of issuing condemnations without matching protection on the ground.

Daniels listed three immediate steps for Abuja: a leadership review that includes Matawalle’s removal or redeployment to restore the defence ministry’s integrity, a transparent investigation into alleged high-level complicity with banditry, and stronger security measures for vulnerable communities in the North-Central and North-West regions.

She pointed to what she termed “red flags” surrounding the minister, including his time as Zamfara governor and longstanding claims of links to bandit groups and ransom dealings. Daniels argued that his continued stay in office could further erode public trust in counter-terrorism efforts.

The assessment also called for a broader overhaul of Nigeria’s defence system and urged the United States and its allies to apply greater diplomatic pressure. Daniels referenced ongoing discussions about designating Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern over religious persecution.

This latest intervention adds to growing external scrutiny of the Tinubu administration’s handling of banditry, insurgency and communal violence that continue to claim lives across the country. Daniels had earlier co-sponsored Florida House Resolution 761, which condemns the attacks on Christians in Nigeria and enjoys bipartisan support.