“An Affront to our Sovereignty”
A Nigerian civil society group has sharply rebuked what it describes as “disrespectful” and “unsolicited” commentary from Western officials on the country’s internal security decisions, warning that such interventions undermine Nigeria’s sovereignty and risk reviving the tone of a colonial past.
In a strongly worded statement, the Security Watch Network for Good Governance accused U.S. government officials, their surrogates and affiliated voices of overstepping diplomatic boundaries by offering public recommendations on Nigeria’s security architecture — including calls for the removal or redeployment of senior officials based on what it characterized as “their own perception and preference.”
“These statements constitute a direct affront to Nigeria’s sovereignty and must cease forthwith,” the group said.
The organization framed the criticism within a broader historical context, invoking the legacy of colonial rule in Africa. It argued that foreign powers once “systematically bastardised” local institutions, weakened traditional authority structures and exacerbated divisions that continue to shape contemporary security challenges.
“The era of colonialism… is a long-past chapter of our bitter history — one we have no desire to revisit or repeat,” the statement said.
At the center of the group’s latest criticism is Kimberly Daniels, who has been identified as chairwoman of the United World Congress of Diplomats. Daniels recently called for the removal or redeployment of Nigeria’s Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle — remarks the group described as “an insult” and “deeply disrespectful” to Nigeria’s leadership.
The Security Watch Network dismissed Daniels’ comments as presumptuous, questioning both her authority and her understanding of diplomatic norms. It argued that Nigeria, despite what it called “globally acknowledged failures” in U.S. foreign policy, has never sought to dictate leadership changes in Washington.
The group also mounted a defense of Matawalle’s record in office, citing his role in recent security operations. It pointed to a mass kidnapping crisis in Kebbi State, during which President Bola Ahmed Tinubu reportedly tasked Matawalle with coordinating the response. According to the statement, the operation led to the safe return of the abducted students — an outcome the group described as evidence of “measurable and strategically significant” progress.
Against that backdrop, the group said, calls for the minister’s removal on grounds of “integrity” were not only unfounded but “deeply amusing.”
“It is equally a matter of record that Dr. Bello Matawalle has played a crucial and decisive role in advancing Nigeria’s security objectives, producing outcomes that are both measurable and strategically significant.
“Only recently, when the nation was confronted with the crisis of a mass kidnapping in Kebbi State, it was Dr. Bello Matawalle whom the President personally dispatched to coordinate the rescue operation. He delivered: those students were brought home safely. That is the record of the man whose removal is being demanded.”
The statement concluded with a broader appeal to Western governments to recalibrate their engagement with Nigeria and other sovereign states, urging a shift from what it described as condescension to mutual respect.
“We take this opportunity to remind Kimberly Daniels to confine herself to her constituency in Florida and to keep well away from matters of national security that are, by any reasonable measure, far above her pay grade. It is particularly troubling that this individual, who presents herself as the Chairwoman of the World Congress of Diplomats, appears to lack even a rudimentary understanding of the foundational principles of diplomacy—chief among them, the respect owed to sovereign nations and their duly appointed officials.
“We call on all sovereign nations—particularly those in the West—to engage with fellow nations on the basis of respect, not condescension. Nigeria is a sovereign country and will not stand by while loose-mouthed officials disrespect its leadership or its sovereignty,” the group said.
