The Former Parliamentarians Forum has defended the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, dismissing recent calls for his removal as “misinformed and dangerously reductive.”

In a statement issued on Thursday and signed by its chairman, Gabriel Idoko, the Forum cautioned against what it described as a growing trend of external actors drawing sweeping conclusions about Nigeria’s security architecture without adequate understanding of local realities.

The group was reacting to remarks by United States lawmaker, Kimberly Daniels, who had urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to redeploy or remove Matawalle following a security assessment on violence in parts of northern Nigeria.

According to the Forum, attempts to single out the minister based on “selective interpretations of complex security challenges” risk undermining ongoing efforts to stabilise volatile regions.

“It is both simplistic and counterproductive to suggest that the removal or redeployment of one public official would resolve challenges that have evolved over decades,” the statement said.

“Nigeria’s security landscape requires continuity, institutional memory, and coordinated leadership, not abrupt disruptions driven by external commentary.”

The Forum noted that Matawalle operates within a broader defence framework under the Tinubu administration, contributing to joint military operations, intelligence coordination and strategic engagements aimed at addressing insecurity.

It acknowledged that while security challenges persist in parts of the North-Central and North-West regions, there have been “measurable gains in degrading armed groups, improving inter-agency collaboration, and restoring a degree of normalcy in previously inaccessible communities.”

“These efforts are neither accidental nor attributable to a single office. They are the product of sustained coordination among the armed forces, intelligence services, and political leadership,” the statement added.

“Disrupting that synergy on the basis of unverified allegations would be a disservice to national security.”

The Forum also warned against the “internationalisation of domestic security debates without due diligence,” cautioning that such interventions could inflame tensions and embolden non-state actors.

“It is important to separate advocacy from accuracy. Allegations of complicity, especially at high levels of government, must be substantiated through credible investigations by competent authorities within Nigeria’s legal and security framework,” it said.

Highlighting Matawalle’s experience as a former governor of Zamfara State, the Forum described it as an asset in addressing rural insecurity and conflict dynamics.

“Experience in governance, particularly in conflict-prone environments, is an asset, not a liability,” it noted.

The group called for sustained investment in intelligence gathering, community policing and socio-economic interventions, while urging stakeholders to avoid rhetoric that could undermine security agencies.

“Constructive engagement, not sensational demands, is what Nigeria needs at this critical juncture,” the statement added.