A United States lawmaker has accused Nigeria’s Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, of attempting to bribe a U.S. official in a bid to suppress a report alleging genocide against Christians in Nigeria.
Kimberly Daniels, a Democratic member of the Florida House of Representatives, made the allegation in a video posted on her official Facebook account on Monday. The video has since gained traction online, sparking debate across political and diplomatic circles.
In the video, Daniels claimed that the alleged bribe was intended to influence the narrative surrounding a report by the United World Congress of Diplomats (UN-WCD), which accused Nigerian authorities of failing to address what it described as targeted killings of Christians in parts of the country.
“A U.S. 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 said.
The lawmaker, who also serves as chairperson of the UN-WCD, maintained that she would not be intimidated or silenced, insisting that the issue of violence against Christians in Nigeria must be addressed transparently.
Daniels had earlier called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to remove Matawalle from office, alleging his complicity in violent incidents reported in states such as Plateau, Benue, and Kaduna.
As of the time of filing this report, Matawalle has not publicly responded to the allegations. The Nigerian government has also not issued an official statement addressing the claims.
The development adds a new dimension to ongoing international scrutiny over security challenges in Nigeria, particularly concerning communal and sectarian violence in parts of the country.