The United Front for Religious Tolerance in Nigeria, has strongly condemned recent online publications alleging that the Minister of State for Defence, H.E. Dr. Bello Mohammed Matawalle, MON, attempted to bribe a United States official to suppress reports on Nigeria’s security situation.
These claims, reportedly attributed to a member of the Florida House of Representatives Kimberly Daniels during a Facebook live broadcast, are entirely false, unfounded, and lack credibility, the group said in a statement signed by Barrister Okie Okechukwu.
“We state unequivocally that the Honourable Minister has never engaged in, nor would he condone, any act of bribery or misconduct. The allegations are baseless and do not reflect his conduct or public service record.
“We are concerned about the damaging impact of such unsubstantiated claims at a time when Nigeria is confronting complex security challenges. Insinuations that the Minister sought to influence American officials through “coordinated messaging” are not only misleading but risk heightening tensions in an already fragile environment.
“Dr. Matawalle has consistently maintained that insecurity affects all Nigerians; Christians, Muslims, men, women, young and old, and is not targeted at any single religious group or region. The violence perpetrated by non-state actors cuts across the country and requires collective, not divisive, responses.
“While we welcome genuine international interest in Nigeria’s security, we reject attempts to politicize the crisis or undermine the sovereignty of our democratic institutions. Calls to overhaul Nigeria’s security architecture based on misinterpretation of events are inappropriate. Concerns should be channeled through proper diplomatic and investigative processes, not inflammatory public broadcasts”.
They noted that the Minister remains focused on his mandate, adding that he has been at the forefront of strategic engagements with domestic and international partners to restore peace, particularly in Northern Nigeria.
“He will not be distracted by campaigns of calumny or malicious propaganda. These campaigners of calumny are trying to drag his name to the mud because of his support for Mr. President, which is unshakable, he has refused to join the conspiracy against the re-election of our amiable jagaban. Furthermore in his home state politics, his growing influence and loyalty to President Tinubu is unsettling them and also a threat to the political class who feels they will not get his support in the upcoming elections.
“It is absurd, malicious, preposterous and naive for the woman (Kimberly Daniels), the American legislator who claims to know Nigeria more than us. She should channel her bitterness against Nigeria to somewhere else as Nigeria is moving towards greatness and economic independence under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR.
“We urge the public and media to disregard these misleading reports and to verify information before amplification. Reckless allegations of religious bigotry and corruption only serve to heat up the polity and distract from the urgent task of securing our nation”, they concluded.
