Nigerians Reject US Lawmaker's Call to Remove Matawalle

The Nigerian American Coalition has publicly rejected the call made by US lawmaker Kimberli Daniel for the removal of Bello Matawalle, the Minister of State for Defence. In a statement issued on Thursday, coalition convenor Maxwell Akarachi described Daniel's comments as misinformed and driven by external interests that harm Nigeria's sovereignty.

Akarachi emphasized that such attempts to single out individuals within Nigeria's defense structure risk misrepresenting facts and emboldening forces against national stability. He argued that the portrayal of Matawalle as liable based on unverifiable allegations undermines current security operations and promotes misinformation.

Daniel's remarks followed a series of attacks in North Central and North West Nigeria during the 2026 Easter period, which resulted in several deaths. The coalition urged global partners to engage with Nigeria based on mutual respect and accurate information, rather than public criticism.