April 16, (THEWILL) — The Nigerian Muslim Congress, Northern Elders Political Development Group, and Youths Vanguard for Peaceful Co-existence of Nigeria have criticised recent calls by a United States lawmaker, Kimberly Daniels, for the redeployment of the Minister of State for Defence, Mohammed Bello Matawalle.
In a joint statement issued in Sokoto on Thursday, the groups, in a statement signed by Dr Abdullahi Usman Sarki, Chairman, and Hon. Yusuf Abubakar, Secretary, also raised concerns about external interference in Nigeria’s internal affairs.
They stressed that matters relating to Nigeria’s security architecture remain the exclusive responsibility of the Nigerian government under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“Decisions regarding appointments, redeployments and operational strategies are guided by national interest, local intelligence and realities on ground”, the statement read.
“External opinions must not override the authority of those directly accountable to the Nigerian people.”
The groups defended Matawalle’s role, citing his experience as a former governor of Zamfara State, one of the regions most affected by banditry and insecurity.
According to them, his firsthand knowledge of insurgency, communal conflicts and banditry makes him a valuable contributor to ongoing national security efforts.
They also criticised what they described as “negative narratives” by individuals outside the country, accusing them of misrepresenting Nigeria’s security situation and unfairly targeting specific officials.
“It is irresponsible to single out one individual for challenges that are systemic, multifaceted and longstanding”, the statement noted, adding that insecurity issues predate the current administration.
The organisations acknowledged that while security challenges persist, there have been sustained military operations and strategic interventions, particularly in the North-West states of Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi and Katsina, which they said have led to measurable improvements in some areas.
They further cautioned against relying on external reports that may lack full context and operational intelligence, insisting that decisions on key security appointments remain the constitutional prerogative of the President.
The groups also alleged attempts to circulate narratives, to discredit the Federal Government, warning that such actions could undermine national unity and ongoing security operations.
They called on both local and international stakeholders to support Nigeria’s efforts in tackling insecurity while respecting its sovereignty.
“At this critical time, Nigeria requires unity, constructive engagement and respect for its institutional processes”, the statement added.
Tunde Omolehin is an award-winning Journalist with prose in investigative and storytelling that is connecting the dots between the under-reported communities and policymakers to ensure good governance and accountability.
