A United States lawmaker, Kimberly Daniels, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to redeploy or remove the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, citing concerns raised in a recent security assessment on Nigeria.

Daniels, a Florida state representative and chairwoman of the United World Congress of Diplomats, made the call in a statement posted on her Facebook page, where she highlighted worsening insecurity in parts of the country.

Her intervention follows renewed attacks in the North-Central and North-West regions, particularly during the 2026 Easter period, which reportedly left several persons dead in Plateau, Kaduna and Nasarawa states.

According to Daniels, the assessment reviewed the implications of Nigeria’s current security leadership amid the spate of violence, including attacks on religious gatherings during Palm Sunday and Easter services.

She said findings from the report indicated a disconnect between official assurances and realities on the ground, with testimonies from local leaders and survivors pointing to persistent vulnerabilities.

The lawmaker noted that the report raised concerns about Matawalle’s continued stay in office, citing alleged “red flags,” including claims of links with bandit groups during his tenure as governor of Zamfara State, as well as questions about his security experience.

“To the Government of Nigeria, the results of the assessment urge President Tinubu to ‘look inward’ and remove elements that compromise national security,” she said.

“Specifically, immediate leadership review. The removal or redeployment of Minister Bello Matawalle to restore the integrity of the defence ministry.”

Daniels also called for a transparent investigation into allegations of high-level complicity in banditry and urged improved protection for vulnerable communities.

She further appealed to the United States and other international partners to increase diplomatic pressure on Nigeria to ensure accountability for individuals accused of aiding terrorism.