Presidential candidate of the Accord Party, Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has described President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a national security risk, warning that Nigeria could be exposed to greater danger from ISIS-linked terrorists if Tinubu returns to office in 2027.
Hashim made the remarks during an interview on Mic On with Seun Okinbaloye, where he raised concerns over the worsening security situation and the growing territorial influence of terrorists and armed criminal groups, particularly in parts of Northern Nigeria.
The Accord candidate claimed that more than 30,000 Nigerians had been killed in terrorist-related violence during the first three years of the Tinubu administration. He also alleged that armed groups had established significant influence in rural communities across parts of the North, including exercising forms of parallel authority.
“Nigeria is at risk of falling into the hands of ISIS if Tinubu returns to office,” Hashim warned, according to his remarks. He argued that the situation had gone beyond a conventional security challenge and required a fundamental restructuring of the country’s security architecture.
Hashim said an administration led by him would establish a National Guard as part of a broader strategy to tackle insurgency and other major internal security threats. He had previously advocated such a force, describing it as a structure that could operate between the conventional military and the police to strengthen Nigeria’s response to internal security challenges.
He also called for greater intelligence capacity, precision military operations, stronger border security, community-based policing, modern surveillance technology, disruption of terrorist financing and improved coordination among security agencies and neighbouring countries.
Hashim’s latest comments come amid continuing military and security operations against terrorists, bandits and other armed groups across the country. He, however, maintained that the government’s response remains largely reactive and urged a shift towards a strategy focused on preventing attacks and reclaiming vulnerable territories.
The Accord presidential candidate said the central issue was the ability of the Nigerian state to maintain effective authority over every part of the federation, arguing that the 2027 election would also be a decision about the country’s future security architecture.