US Lawmaker Alleges Bribery Attempt by Nigeria’s Defence Minister Over ‘Christian Killings’ Report

A US politician has publicly accused Nigeria’s Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, of attempting to influence an international narrative through bribery—an allegation that could escalate diplomatic tension if substantiated.

Kimberly Daniels, a Democratic member of the Florida House of Representatives, made the claim in a video shared on her official Facebook page, alleging that a US official was offered money to alter the findings of a controversial report on violence in Nigeria.

At the centre of the dispute is a report by the United World Congress of Diplomats, which Daniels says highlights targeted killings of Christians in parts of Nigeria, including Plateau, Benue, and Kaduna states.

According to Daniels, the alleged attempt to influence the report was aimed at deflecting attention from accusations contained in the document, which she claims implicate the minister.

“A US elected official was offered money by Nigeria’s minister of state defence to change the narrative,” she said, insisting that no pressure would force her to back down from raising concerns about the situation.

Daniels, who also serves as chairperson of the UN-WCD, has previously called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to remove Matawalle from office over alleged links to insecurity in affected regions.

The Nigerian government has not issued an official response to the latest allegation, and Matawalle has yet to publicly address the claim.

The accusation comes at a sensitive time, as Nigeria continues to face scrutiny over insecurity, particularly in the North-Central and North-West regions where violence has persisted.

For now, the claim remains unproven, but its implications are significant. Allegations involving bribery of foreign officials and attempts to shape international reports could trigger diplomatic fallout, especially if taken up by US authorities or international bodies.