•US reportedly demands removal of both Badaru and Matawalle before security collaboration
• Badaru resigns on health grounds; Tinubu to name Gen. Christopher Musa as successor
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• Recall that Nigeria–US ties strained after Washington redesignates Nigeria as a ‘Country of Particular Concern’
There is growing pressure on President Bola Tinubu to remove the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, following the resignation of Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar.
Presidency insiders told SaharaReporters that the United States has insisted that both Badaru and Matawalle must leave office before Washington will proceed with deeper security collaboration on counter-terrorism efforts.
A senior government source said the position was clearly communicated during recent engagements. “There is pressure on Tinubu to remove Matawalle as well. We were told the US insisted that Badaru and Matawalle be replaced before any cooperation with Nigeria could proceed,” the source said.
The development comes hours after Badaru formally resigned as Defence Minister. In a letter dated December 1 and addressed to President Bola Tinubu, he cited health grounds for his decision to quit. Presidential Adviser Bayo Onanuga confirmed the President accepted the resignation and thanked him for his service.
Multiple authoritative sources also revealed that former Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa (retd.), is the preferred candidate to succeed Badaru.
READ ALSO: Nigeria Ranks Lowest Globally in Quality of Life Under Tinubu,
Musa held a closed-door meeting with President Tinubu at the Aso Rock Villa earlier on Monday—his first such meeting since his retirement on October 24, 2025. According to insiders, the President informed him that he would take over as Defence Minister.
Badaru, a two-term governor of Jigawa State, was appointed Defence Minister on August 21, 2023. His exit comes at a sensitive moment in Nigeria’s relations with the United States.
Last week, Washington redesignated Nigeria as a ‘Country of Particular Concern’ (CPC) over allegations of severe violations of religious freedom, including claims of widespread killings of Christians by extremist groups such as Boko Haram and ISWAP. Several advocacy groups have argued that Nigeria records more Christian-targeted killings than any other country, describing the situation as genocidal.
The redesignation triggered diplomatic tensions, prompting Nigeria to dispatch a high-level delegation led by National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu to Washington for consultations. Both sides later agreed to establish joint mechanisms to address insecurity and religious freedom concerns.
Nigeria had been placed on the CPC list in 2020 but was removed in 2021. President Tinubu and other top officials have rejected the genocide narrative, stressing that the country’s security challenges are complex and rooted in multiple factors beyond religion.
