Nigerians in Diaspora Monitoring Group has threatened legal action against Kimberly Daniels over remarks accusing the Sultan of Sokoto of complicity in Nigeria’s insecurity crisis and calling for the removal of the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle.

In a statement issued on Friday and signed by its US chapter president, Cosmas Collins, the group described the comments as “deeply offensive, unsubstantiated and diplomatically reckless,” warning that it would begin legal proceedings in the United States if Daniels failed to retract her claims.

Daniels, a Democratic member of the Florida House of Representatives representing District 14, had recently called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to remove Matawalle from office while also making allegations linking the Sultan of Sokoto to insecurity in northern Nigeria.

Reacting to the remarks, Collins said the group was particularly concerned by what it described as a direct and unjustified attack on the Sultan, stressing that the traditional ruler remains a symbol of peace and religious harmony.

“The Sultan of Sokoto is a symbol of unity and moral authority whose voice has consistently been deployed in the service of peace, dialogue and national cohesion. To allege complicity in insecurity without credible evidence is not only defamatory but an affront to millions of Nigerians who respect the institution he represents,” Collins said.

He added that the allegations were harmful to Nigeria’s image and capable of creating unnecessary tension both within and outside the country.

“These statements are false, damaging and unacceptable. We are prepared to pursue all lawful means within the United States to seek redress if a full retraction and apology are not issued,” he said.

On Matawalle, the group said while public officials should be open to scrutiny, calls for their removal must be based on verifiable facts rather than unproven allegations.

“It is within the bounds of democratic engagement to question governance, but such interventions must be responsible and evidence-based. What we reject is the promotion of narratives that could undermine ongoing security efforts and distort international perception,” Collins said.

The group urged foreign lawmakers to prioritise constructive engagement over public accusations and reaffirmed its commitment to defending Nigeria’s image abroad.