Fresh pressure is building on President Bola Tinubu to remove the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, after the resignation of Defence Minister Mohammed Badaru Abubakar on Monday.
Top government sources told SaharaReporters that the United States has insisted that both Badaru and Matawalle must be replaced before Washington proceeds with any security collaboration with Nigeria, particularly on counter-terrorism and banditry.
“There is pressure on Tinubu to remove Matawalle as well. The U.S. position was clear — both men must go before cooperation can move forward,” a senior official revealed.
Badaru’s resignation, submitted in a letter dated December 1, was officially attributed to health reasons, according to Presidential aide Bayo Onanuga. President Tinubu has accepted the resignation.
Earlier on Monday, former Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, held his first meeting with President Tinubu since his retirement on October 24. Sources said the President informed Musa that he would take over as Defence Minister.
The development comes as Nigeria faces renewed diplomatic pressure after the U.S. redesignated the country as a “Country of Particular Concern” over what it described as severe violations of religious freedom. U.S. officials and advocacy groups have repeatedly accused Nigeria of failing to address mass killings of Christians by Boko Haram, ISWAP and other extremist groups.
Nigeria rejected the genocide allegations, but the CPC redesignation has sharpened scrutiny of the country’s security leadership — and now appears to be driving changes at the highest levels of the Defence Ministry.Washington’s Ultimatum: ‘Remove Matawalle or No Security Deal,’ U.S. Tells Tinubu.
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