Kimberly Daniels, a Democratic lawmaker in the Florida House of Representatives, has alleged that Nigeria’s Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, attempted to bribe a United States official to influence the narrative surrounding a report by the United World Congress of Diplomats.
Daniels made the claim in a video shared on her official Facebook page on Monday, which has since gone viral.
According to her, the alleged attempt was aimed at concealing findings in the UN-WCD report on the killing of Christians in Nigeria, which she said implicated Matawalle.
She maintained that no level of pressure would deter her from speaking out against the killings of Christians in the country.
“A US elected official was offered money by Nigeria’s minister of state for defence, Bello Matawalle, to change the narrative of the UN-WCD report on Christian killings in Nigeria,” she stated in the video.
Daniels, who also serves as chairperson of the UN-WCD, had earlier called on President Bola Tinubu to remove Matawalle over alleged involvement in killings across Plateau, Benue, Kaduna, and other parts of Nigeria.
As of now, Matawalle has not issued an official response to the allegation.
The Bauchi State Police Command has arrested a man identified as Bala Yusuf, a native of Dutse Local Government Area of Jigawa State, for allegedly attempting to kill a driver and steal his vehicle.
This was contained in a statement issued on Thursday by the spokesperson of the Bauchi State Police Command, SP Nafiu Habib.
According to the statement, the suspect hired the driver to transport him from Abuja to Jos. Upon arriving in Jos, the suspect allegedly persuaded the driver to continue the journey to Bauchi under the pretext of visiting his family.
The statement said that after reaching Bauchi, the suspect allegedly laced the driver’s food with sleeping pills and attempted to flee with the vehicle, which was valued at about N5 million.
“The suspect was apprehended in possession of the vehicle, while the victim was immediately rushed to the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, Bauchi, for medical attention,” the statement added.
The command further stated that investigation is ongoing to ascertain the full circumstances surrounding the incident before the suspect is charged to court.
The member representing Pankshin Kanam Kanke constituency, Yusuf Adamu Gagdi, has said his achievements in office should be the primary basis for judging his leadership, declaring that his record of service speaks for itself as he embarked on his ward-to-ward consultations across his constituency ahead of the APC primary election.
Gagdi made the remark during his recent visits to federal wards, in Pankshin, Kanam and Kanke LGAs, where he met with party members, traditional leaders, and constituents.
Addressing stakeholders in the various wards, the lawmaker said he prefers to rely on his track record rather than make fresh promises, insisting that residents have already seen the impact of his representation.
“My record speaks for me. The people have seen what I have done already. If given another opportunity, I will do even better than what I have done in the last seven years,” he said.
He cited ongoing and completed projects across the constituency, including the modern primary healthcare centre in Gyangyan and community hall projects in several wards, as evidence of his commitment to development.
Gagdi who is the Chairman of the House Committee on Navy, also stressed that leadership must remain rooted in the grassroots, explaining that his consultations were designed to keep him connected to the people who elected him into office.
“This visitation is not even about campaigning. It is about keeping in touch with the people who voted me into office. I do not want to feel too big to relate with the people the way I have always done,” he added.
He urged constituents to reject divisive politics and instead prioritize performance, capacity, and tangible contributions to community development when choosing leaders.
According to him, his interventions have also included educational support programmes, empowerment initiatives, and payment of WAEC, NECO, and JAMB fees for students across the constituency.
Gagdi further assured residents of continued development support in communities such as Dawaki, Nemel, and Kabwir, including planned community hall projects where land has already been secured.
He also pledged neutrality in future local government chairmanship contests, while reaffirming his commitment to peace, unity, and progress in the constituency.
Party leaders across the visited wards commended his developmental efforts and expressed support for his continued representation, calling for unity within the APC ahead of the 2027 elections.
The ward-to-ward consultations, according to him, are part of efforts to strengthen grassroots trust, consolidate support, and maintain close contact with constituents ahead of the party’s primary election.
