*Before It Enters Into Any Security Cooperation With Nigeria
*Tinubu In Dilemma Over 2027 Calculations, Govt Source Says
*How Badaru Helped Shoot Self In Foot
*President Nominates Gen Chris Musa To Replace Badaru
Following the ‘resignation’ of Defence Minister, Abubakar Badaru, from President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet, his colleague and Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, may be next to go.
Badaru said he resigned on health grounds, but activist and muck-raking newspaper publisher, Omoyele Sowore, said he was sacked by Tinubu.
Reports say the Donald Trump administration,to which the Federal Government (FG) turned to for a security collaboration in the wake of Trump’s invasion threat over Christian genocide in Nigeria as well as America’s subsequent designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), is not prepared to be messed around with in its bid to help the African giant restore security and sanity on its shores amid the prevalent roiling insecurity.
The US reportedly wants Matawalle also relieved of his duties to pave the way for any security collaboration.
Though sources did not say Matawalle was directly indicted by the US for sponsoring terrorism in the country, but they disclosed that the Trump administration strongly suspects him (and Badaru) of not taking stronger actions to eliminate terrorists, given the powers available to them.
It was not immediately clear if Tinubu would quickly kick Matawalle out of his cabinet, but a Presidency source said: “The President is under tremendous pressure from both the US and locally,even from within Zamfara State, where Matawalle was State governor, to sack him.”
The source added: “The situation is like being between the devil and the deep blue sea for Tinubu. On the one hand, he needs both Matawalle and Badaru for his 2027 re-election aspiration as far as the vote-rich North-West is concerned.
“On the other hand, the bellicose Trump administration is on his neck to act fast, clearly and transparently and remove those it (US) has identified as possible ‘stumbling blocks’ in any security collaboration to get rid of terrorists in Nigeria.
“America has no patience with terrorists and if you want its help, you do as it says because the US will not prevaricate when it begins to neutralize the terrorists.
“Also, Tinubu is well aware that the US can play a big role in stopping his second term aspiration, just as they did to Goodluck Jonathan in 2024/2015. They can destabilize your government and leave you very exposed. So, it’s a catch-22 situation right now for President Tinubu.”
Meanwhile, former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, who was among service chiefs retired on 24 October, 2025, appears in pole position to replace Badaru as President Tinubu has nominated him already.
The speculation gained ground on Monday evening when Tinubu met with Musa at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Though Badaru had said his sudden resignation as Defence Minister was on health grounds, the former governor of Jigawa State did not help his case, following an interview he granted the BBC Hausa Service days ago.
In it, he claimed that bombs of the nation’s military cannot penetrate the Northern forests where the sought-for terrorists are hiding –a comment roundly criticised by many Nigerians on social media as reckless, self defeatist, morale-dampening for troops sacrificing their lives on the battlefield , as well as sounding like advocating the treating of Islamic terrorism matters with kid gloves.
His words: “In this kind of war, from time to time, there will be relief; sometimes they will do something that will shock everyone on the ground, although I have heard some say that their whereabouts are known and who they are.
“It is true that their whereabouts are known, but they are people you cannot attack, or they are in the forests where our bombs cannot reach them.
“I assure you that our soldiers are working day and night to see how they can deal with this.”
Some Nigerians,at that time, wondered if the savannah forests he referred to were anywhere as dense as the intricate, tropical rain forests of Southern Nigeria, the Amazon forests of South America or Equatorial forests of central Africa.
Badaru’s comments gained negative traction and attracted the ire of a national daily which did a scathing editorial on him, asking the government to sack him, with Matawalle in tow.
Part of the editorial headlined ‘Why Defence Minister Badaru Is Unfit And Must Be Sacked’, read: “His comments clearly betray his ignorance of the advances in the defence sector and embarrass the military.
“For one, Northern Nigeria, plagued by abductions, kidnappings and killings for over 16 years, lacks dense foliage. It has a mix of savannah and woodlands, with Kainji Lake National Park, Borgu Game Reserve and even the notorious Sambisa Forest being the most notable, but they do not give total cover for terrorists.
“Comments like this by a Defence Minister prove there is no determination to combat the Islamic insurgency and banditry. Rather, puerile excuses are being manufactured to justify failure.
“Farmers are rounded up and slaughtered. The killers are in deep forests in the South. Worship centres and schools are raided, worshippers and students shot and abducted, but the killers are supposedly inaccessible!
“Some communities are empty, yet the assailants are never apprehended because their location is too inaccessible or they cannot be attacked!
“The terrorists have massacred over 100,000 Nigerians, says Vice-President, Kashim Shettima, while over two million are displaced.
“Badaru and his ilk in government have no more lies to tell. From being on “top of the situation,” to the “matter being blown out of proportion,” to “the terrorists being degraded,” now it is the terrorists are deep in the forest that bombs cannot reach them!
“Truth be told, Badaru is not fit to be the Defence Minister. His view implies that Nigeria will permanently be at the mercy of bandits. That is unacceptable.
“The government exists to protect citizens, not insult them with lame justifications.
“Unfortunately, a new wave of persistent attacks began shortly after Donald Trump’s redesignation of Nigeria as “Country of Particular Concern” in October, exposing the country’s poor attention to insecurity before the tag.
“What is the strategy for returning students to school safely? This is the period of action, not excuses and rhetoric.
“The National Security Adviser and the Service Chiefs should take the battle to the terrorists. Badaru cannot lead this charge as his deficiencies have been so publicly exposed.
“The President should immediately replace Badaru and his deputy, Bello Matawalle, who has been accused by Dauda Lawal, his successor as Zamfara governor, of feting bandits in the Government House and buying vehicles for the likes of Bello Turji during his tenure, though he denies this.
“The US eliminated Osama bin Laden in his seemingly impregnable fortress in Abbottabad, Pakistan, in May 2011 after 10 years of relentless intelligence activity.
“America has long developed bombs that penetrate concrete bunkers, as shown by the country’s attack on Iranian nuclear sites earlier this year. There are fuel-air explosives for clearing forests, and heat signature sensors to detect human presence where eyes cannot see.
“So, Nigeria needs to seek help from countries that have the technology to penetrate anywhere.”
*PHOTO CAPTION: Badaru (left) and Matawalle (to Badaru’s left).
