A fresh controversy has emerged over Nigeria’s worsening security situation following allegations by a United States lawmaker that the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, attempted to limit international scrutiny of ongoing violence in parts of the country.
The claims were made by Kimberly Daniels, a member of the Florida House of Representatives and Chairwoman of the United World Congress of Diplomats (UN-WCD), during a Facebook Live broadcast. She accused the minister of seeking to influence American officials through coordinated messaging.
Daniels alleged that after she issued a statement raising concerns about what she described as targeted killings of Christians in Nigeria, she came under pressure from individuals she linked to the minister. According to her, these efforts included attempts to discredit her report and solicit support from US-based elected officials.
She further claimed that an unnamed American lawmaker was persuaded to publicly counter her position and defend Nigeria’s defence leadership.
The lawmaker said she had received what she described as evidence of communication materials, including a prepared statement and promotional content allegedly tied to the minister. She argued that such efforts were aimed at creating division among American officials.
“I am speaking on behalf of people who say they are under attack,” Daniels said, noting that her intervention was intended to call for an investigation rather than make outright accusations.
She also dismissed any attempt to silence her, insisting on her constitutional right as an elected official to speak on international human rights concerns.
The controversy follows a report released by Daniels on April 14, 2026, in her role as head of the UN-WCD, which highlighted rising violence in Nigeria’s North Central and North West regions.
The report cited attacks during the Easter period in states such as Plateau, Kaduna, and Nasarawa, and pointed to what it described as a growing disconnect between official assurances and realities on the ground.
In addition, the document raised concerns about the leadership of the defence ministry, questioning its credibility and integrity. It recommended a review of Nigeria’s security leadership and urged President Bola Tinubu to consider redeploying the minister, alongside initiating a transparent investigation into the allegations.
Daniels said her position was based on testimonies from affected communities, members of the Nigerian diaspora, and findings from the UN-WCD’s network across the United States, Nigeria, Ghana, the United Kingdom, and Canada.
US Lawmaker Alleges Attempt to Influence Scrutiny of Nigeria’s Security Crisis
