US Lawmaker Accuses Nigeria Defence Minister of Cover-Up
Fresh allegations from a United States lawmaker have intensified scrutiny of Nigeria’s worsening security situation, with claims that senior defence officials attempted to influence international reactions to reports of killings in parts of the country.
Kimberly Daniels, a member of the Florida House of Representatives and Chairwoman of the United World Congress of Diplomats (UN-WCD), alleged that Nigeria’s Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, sought to suppress external attention to the crisis through coordinated messaging targeted at American officials.
Daniels made the claims during a Facebook live broadcast, stating that her recent comments on what she described as targeted killings of Christians in Nigeria were followed by pressure from individuals she linked to the minister. She alleged efforts to discredit her position and what she termed attempts to “buy support” from US-based elected representatives.
According to her, an unnamed American lawmaker was allegedly “persuaded” to counter her claims publicly and defend Nigeria’s defence leadership. Daniels further claimed she received evidence of communications, including a prepared statement and promotional materials, which she said were tied to the minister and designed to influence opinion among US policymakers.
“I am speaking on behalf of people who say they are under attack,” she said, adding that her intervention was intended to prompt investigation rather than make definitive accusations.
The lawmaker rejected what she described as attempts at intimidation, insisting on her constitutional right to speak on international human rights concerns as an elected official in the United States.
The controversy follows a report Daniels released on April 14, 2026, under the UN-WCD, raising concerns over escalating violence in Nigeria’s North Central and North West regions. The document referenced attacks during the Easter period in Plateau, Kaduna, and Nasarawa states, areas that have recorded recurring incidents of armed violence involving bandit groups, communal clashes, and insurgent activity.
Security data from Nigeria has consistently shown elevated risks in these regions. Over the past decade, incidents linked to armed groups and inter-communal conflicts have contributed to thousands of deaths and large-scale displacement, according to multiple conflict monitoring organisations. However, figures often vary due to reporting gaps and the fluid nature of the crisis.
Daniels’ report pointed to what it described as a widening gap between official assurances and conditions on the ground. It also questioned the continued leadership of the defence ministry under Matawalle, citing “credibility and integrity concerns”.
Among its recommendations were a review of Nigeria’s security leadership structure and a call on Bola Tinubu to consider redeploying the minister, alongside initiating a transparent investigation into the allegations raised.
Daniels said her findings were informed by testimonies from affected communities, members of the Nigerian diaspora, and inputs from the UN-WCD’s multinational network across the United States, Nigeria, Ghana, the United Kingdom, and Canada.