US Nigerians Reject Florida Lawmaker's Call on Matawalle

US-based Nigerians have expressed disapproval of Florida lawmaker Kimberli Daniel's call for the removal of Bello Matawalle, Nigeria's Minister of State for Defence. The Nigerian American Coalition, represented by Maxwell Akarachi, issued a statement on Thursday warning that such calls could distort facts and undermine Nigeria's security efforts.

They emphasized that Nigeria's security challenges, particularly in the North Central and North West regions, are rooted in structural vulnerabilities and cross-border criminal networks, rather than the actions of a single official. Akarachi criticized Daniel's remarks as unproven and potentially harmful, arguing that they could fracture confidence in Nigeria's defense leadership.

The coalition urged international partners to engage constructively rather than adopt an accusatory stance. Daniel's comments were made following a series of attacks in Nigeria during the Easter period, which resulted in multiple fatalities, and she cited concerns regarding Matawalle's alleged links to bandit groups during his tenure as governor of Zamfara State.