Reconsider Matawalle’s Appointment As Minister, Coalition Tells Tinubu

The National Coalition Against Terrorism (NCAT) has enlisted support for a report by United States lawmaker, Kimberly Daniels, urging President Bola Tinubu to review the appointment of Bello Matawalle as minister of state for defence.

The coalition questioned Matawalle’s continued stay in office and urged the president to remove him over the rising insecurity in the country.

The group said the president must act “without delay,” insisting that the continued stay of the minister in office undermines public confidence in Nigeria’s security architecture and weakens the fight against terrorism.

Addressing newsmen at a press conference in Abuja yesterday, NCAT’s convener, Barrister Marvin Ibe, said the coalition’s position was influenced by the recent assessment report attributed to United States lawmaker, Representative Kimberly Daniels, which reportedly urged the Nigerian government to review the minister’s continued stay in office.

The coalition said the alleged report reflected growing concern over Nigeria’s security leadership and stressed that urgent action was needed to restore confidence in the defence establishment.

Ibe said the minister of state for defence lacked the required expertise and public trust to effectively contribute to ongoing counter-terrorism operations.

“We are calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately sack Bello Matawalle as Minister of State for Defence. The security situation in the country demands urgent and decisive leadership,” he said.

He warned that any delay in taking action could further weaken national security response and embolden criminal elements across the country.

He added, “This is not a matter that should be delayed or politicised. The president must act now in the interest of national stability and the safety of Nigerians.”

The coalition also urged the federal government to intensify efforts in tracking and prosecuting terrorism financiers, saying decisive leadership at the top would strengthen ongoing security operations.

NCAT maintained that restoring public confidence in the defence ministry was critical to winning the fight against insecurity in Nigeria.

He said: “We have observed with kin interest, the accusations and counter accusations of the Honourable Minister of State for Defence Bello Matawalle over his relationship with bandits during his days as the executive governor of Zamfara State.

“To an extent, videos of his former aides testified his close relationship with bandits including negotiation for ransom payment and other gifts showered on terrorists which makes him a sympathiser.

“The sad reality is the position of Representative Kimberly Daniels who asserts that the greatest form of terrorism is the homegrown familiar enemies, when the people you trust to protect you work undercover with those who want to harm you, it must be devastating.

“To this end, we totally align ourselves with the position of Kimberly Daniels and call for immediate sack or redeployment of Bello Matawalle from the Ministry of Defense. It is widely believed that the people no longer have confidence in him because of his past relationship with bandits and lack of prerequisite experience to manage the Nigeria Ministry of Defence.

“We understand that America does not just speak, once it speaks, it act, their booths are already on ground and sharing this intelligence with us has help to reshape the security apparatus of the Tinubu’s administration.

“It is more saddened when individuals believed to be hired issued statements linking President Tinubu as the sole perogative for national security even when he has appointed Matawalle and others to manage the security unit, an evidence that he has no experience about defence.

“We view it as disservice for any Nigerian to go against this report as it is a unique intelligence that could reshape the entire war against terrorism and end the genocide in Nigeria. For is, the U.S Congresswom means well for Nigeria and the position she has taken is commendable.

“We, as members of the National Coalition Against Terrorism, heartedly endorsed the entire report of Kimberly Daniels and call on President Tinubu to act fast before it’s too late. Mr President must wake up to this call and do the needful before the country is overrun by the enemies within.

“It is believed that security information are leaked before execution, so, to rebuild confidence of Nigerians and the World, redeployment of Bello Matawalle to another ministry should be the least consideration by Mr President.

“We also call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to track more terrorism financiers and prosecute them in order to discourage further such evil act.”

Recall that the U.S. lawmaker, who is also the chairperson of the United World Congress of Diplomats (UN-WCD) and chairperson on African Affairs in the U.S. Parliament, has been championing campaigns against religious extremism in Africa.