WASHINGTON/ABUJA — In a development that threatens to trigger a major diplomatic row, United States lawmaker Kimberly Daniels has publicly accused Nigeria’s Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, of attempting to bribe an American official to manipulate an international report on the targeted killings of Christians in Nigeria.
The allegation, which surfaced in a viral video, centers on a security assessment compiled by the United World Congress of Diplomats (UN-WCD). The report describes the ongoing violence in Nigeria’s Middle Belt as a “coordinated pattern of attacks” rather than random insecurity.
The Bribery Claim
Addressing the media, Rep. Daniels alleged that Matawalle sought to use financial inducements to “change the narrative” of the UN-WCD report, which characterizes the killings in states like Plateau, Benue, Kaduna, and Nasarawa as a genocide against Christian communities.
“A US elected official was offered money by Nigeria’s Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, to change the narrative of the UN-WCD Christian genocide in Nigeria report,” Daniels stated. “We will not be silenced. We will not be intimidated. The truth about what is happening to Christians in Nigeria must be told.”
The lawmaker emphasized that the destruction of communities is not incidental but a “targeted” campaign that requires urgent international intervention.
Damning Report on Middle Belt Violence
The UN-WCD security assessment has been particularly critical of the Nigerian government’s handling of ethno-religious conflicts. The document outlines a grim reality of systematic attacks, mass displacements, and a lack of effective state protection for vulnerable populations in the North-Central region.
Beyond the allegations of bribery, the report raises serious concerns regarding Matawalle’s fitness for office. It explicitly calls on President Bola Tinubu to conduct a comprehensive review of the leadership within the Ministry of Defence, including the possible removal or redeployment of the Minister.
Pressure Mounts on the Presidency
The “bombshell” revelation comes at a sensitive time for the Tinubu administration, which is currently promoting its “Renewed Hope” agenda to international investors. Accusations of a cabinet member attempting to subvert the findings of a US-linked human rights report could complicate Nigeria’s military cooperation and diplomatic standing with the United States.
“Nigeria cannot continue like this while innocent people are being slaughtered, and the international community cannot look away,” Daniels added, calling for “accountability at the highest levels.”
Silence from the Defence Ministry
As of the time of filing this report, neither the Ministry of Defence nor the Office of the Minister of State has issued a formal rebuttal to the specific bribery allegations made by the US lawmaker.
However, previous government statements regarding Middle Belt insecurity have consistently framed the violence as “farmer-herder clashes” or “banditry,” a narrative the UN-WCD report and Representative Daniels are now directly challenging on the global stage.
The Presidency is yet to comment on whether it will launch an internal probe into the allegations or proceed with the leadership review suggested by the diplomatic body.
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