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Nigeria’s worsening security situation has sparked a fresh international controversy after a United States lawmaker accused the country’s Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, of attempting to silence criticism over ongoing killings.
Kimberly Daniels made the claim during a Facebook Live broadcast, alleging that individuals linked to the minister tried to offer inducements to an American legislator to counter her report on violence in Nigeria.
Daniels, who also chairs the United World Congress of Diplomats (UN-WCD), alleged that an unnamed US lawmaker was offered financial inducement to publicly dispute her claims and defend Nigeria’s defence leadership.
According to her, the alleged offer included a prepared statement and promotional material intended to counter the concerns she had raised about the ongoing violence.
The Nigerian government had yet to respond to the allegations as of the time of filing this report.
The development follows a report released on April 14 by Daniels in her capacity as chair of the UN-WCD, in which she raised concerns over escalating violence in Nigeria’s North-Central and North-West regions.
The report cited attacks recorded during the Easter period in states such as Plateau, Kaduna and Nasarawa, and questioned what it described as a gap between government assurances and the realities faced by communities affected by violence.
It also raised concerns about the continued leadership of the defence ministry under Matawalle, referencing allegations of links to armed groups during his tenure as governor of Zamfara State.
Among its recommendations, the document urged Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to review the country’s security leadership and consider reforms, including a possible redeployment of the minister and an independent investigation into the allegations.
During the broadcast, Daniels said her intervention was based on testimonies from affected communities, members of the Nigerian diaspora, and findings gathered through the UN-WCD’s multinational network operating in the United States, Nigeria, Ghana, the United Kingdom and Canada.
“I am speaking on behalf of people who say they are under attack,” she said, adding that her call was for an investigation rather than a direct accusation.
The lawmaker also insisted that she would not be intimidated, stressing her constitutional right as an elected official to speak on international human rights issues.
The allegations have surfaced amid growing international attention on insecurity in Nigeria, particularly in agrarian communities where attacks have persisted despite military operations and government assurances.
Security analysts say the claims could add a diplomatic dimension to Nigeria’s internal security debate if they prompt formal inquiries by US authorities or international organisations.
Within Nigeria, reactions have remained divided. While some stakeholders have called for a thorough and transparent investigation into the allegations, others have urged caution, warning against politicising the country’s security crisis.
As of press time, there has been no independent confirmation of the bribery allegations, and the defence ministry has yet to issue an official statement responding to the claims.
