By Ibrahim Hassan-Wuyo

Three organisations — the Nigerian Muslim Congress, Northern Elders Political Development Group, and Youths Vanguard for Peaceful Co-existence of Nigeria — have rejected calls by a United States lawmaker for the redeployment of the Minister of State for Defence, Mohammed Bello Matawalle, describing the demand as inappropriate and an intrusion into Nigeria’s internal affairs.

In a joint statement issued on Thursday and signed by Dr. Abdullahi Usman Sarki and Hon. Yusuf Abubakar, the groups said matters concerning Nigeria’s security architecture remain the exclusive responsibility of the Federal Government under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

They stressed that decisions on appointments, redeployments and operational strategies are guided by national interest and local realities, warning against what they described as external interference.

“The call for the redeployment of the Honourable Minister is both inappropriate and troubling. It raises serious concerns about attempts to influence the internal affairs of a sovereign nation,” the statement said.

The groups noted that Matawalle’s experience as former governor of Zamfara State — one of the regions most affected by banditry — positions him to contribute meaningfully to ongoing security efforts.

They added that Nigeria’s security challenges are complex and deeply rooted, requiring coordinated institutional responses rather than what they termed “simplistic external assessments.”

The statement also criticised negative narratives from some foreign commentators, arguing that such views often lack the operational context and intelligence required for informed assessments of Nigeria’s security situation.

According to the groups, attempts to single out individuals for systemic and longstanding security challenges are misplaced, noting that insecurity predates the current administration.

While acknowledging that security efforts may not always meet public expectations, they maintained that ongoing military operations in parts of the North-West — including Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi and Katsina states — have recorded measurable progress.

They emphasised that decisions on retaining or redeploying officials remain the constitutional prerogative of the President and should not be influenced by external pressure.

The organisations further alleged that some media narratives are being circulated to discredit the Federal Government, warning that such actions could undermine national unity and ongoing security operations.

They called on local and international stakeholders to support Nigeria’s efforts to address insecurity in a manner that respects its sovereignty and institutional processes.