Diplomats from the United World Congress of Diplomats (UN‑WCD) and the International Institute of Experts on Political Economy and Administration (IIEPEA) held a press briefing in Abuja calling for the immediate redeployment of the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, citing recent mass attacks (including the Kasuwan‑Daji incident) and alleging credibility questions and historical links to banditry that they say weaken the defence ministry’s moral authority and operational coherence; the group framed the move as necessary to remove internal bottlenecks undermining President Tinubu’s anti‑terror efforts. [1] That demand comes against a broader government push for structural reform of Nigeria’s security architecture: President Bola Tinubu has publicly reiterated support for a decentralised/state policing model and properly regulated forest guards as part of his New Year security strategy, stressing collaboration with international partners and deeper inter‑agency cooperation. [3] Independent and pro‑government voices endorse that direction — an information‑technology expert praised the president’s push for state policing while emphasizing the need for verified personnel, clear accountability and digital identity systems for officers, and the Defence Industries Corporation (DICON D7G) urged Nigerians to support the administration’s security reforms and innovation agenda. [2][4] Taken together, the sources show two parallel threads: pressure to address perceived personnel credibility gaps at the top of the defence ministry to restore public trust, and simultaneous advocacy for systemic reforms and public cooperation to improve operational capacity. Removing or redeploying a contested official could be framed as a confidence‑building step, but sources also underline that longer‑term change — legal frameworks, accountability mechanisms, vetted personnel and community‑anchored policing — will be required for reforms to be effective and sustainable. [1][2][4]