By Our Correspondent

National News – Nigerians living in the United States have criticised a US lawmaker’s call for the removal of Nigeria’s Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, describing it as ill-informed and harmful to national sovereignty.

The criticism came on Thursday from members of the Nigerian-American Coalition for Strategic Stability, who reacted to comments made by Florida legislator Kimberly Daniels.

The coalition, led by convener Maxwell Akarachi, said Daniels’ remarks failed to reflect the realities of Nigeria’s complex security situation.

According to the group, the call for Matawalle’s removal was based on unverified claims and lacked engagement with relevant stakeholders.

They warned that such external interventions could distort facts and weaken confidence in Nigeria’s defence leadership.

Akarachi explained that Nigeria’s security challenges in the North-Central and North-West regions are rooted in long-standing structural issues, cross-border crimes, and evolving threats.

He argued that blaming one official ignores the broader context and ongoing efforts to improve security.

He also highlighted that since his appointment under President Bola Tinubu, Matawalle has contributed to strengthening military operations and intelligence coordination.

The coalition questioned the timing of Daniels’ statement, noting it followed renewed attacks during the 2026 Easter period in Plateau, Kaduna, and Nasarawa states.

Daniels had cited worsening insecurity and alleged past links between Matawalle and bandit groups as reasons for her position.

However, the Nigerian-American group dismissed these allegations as recycled and unproven.

They further emphasised that while security challenges persist, there have been measurable gains in disrupting armed groups and restoring access to affected communities.

The group urged international partners to adopt a more constructive approach, stressing that collaboration based on respect and accurate information is essential for addressing shared security concerns.

Ultimately, the coalition called for caution in foreign commentary on Nigeria’s internal affairs, warning that such statements could be exploited for political or strategic interests, thereby undermining national stability.