•Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim
Presidential hopeful Gbenga Hashim has described the recent United States airstrikes targeting Islamic State elements operating in Nigeria as an indictment of the country’s security architecture.
He blamed the failure of the government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the APC-led administration to combat the terror unleashed on Nigerians by the insurgents before the US airstrikes, reports The Guardian.
In a statement made available to journalists in Kaduna, Hashim said the US intervention reflects growing international concern over Nigeria’s deteriorating security situation, particularly in the North-West, where terrorist groups are steadily consolidating their influence.
According to the former presidential candidate, responsible global actors cannot afford to ignore the emergence of an IS foothold in Nigeria, stressing that the country is “too large, too strategic, and too important to be allowed to fail.”
Hashim revealed that since 2021, and more intensively over the past year, his team had repeatedly warned that security modelling in the North-West pointed to a dangerous trajectory, including the potential emergence of an IS-aligned enclave if urgent action was not taken.
He attributed the worsening insecurity to deepening poverty, prolonged governance failure, and weakened institutions, which he said have emboldened extremist groups while silencing moderate political and secular voices across the region.
“More worrying is the elevation of individuals who enable or rationalise extremism into positions of political influence, creating conditions under which terror groups can aspire to territorial control,” he stated.
While acknowledging that international airstrikes may temporarily degrade terrorist capabilities, Hashim stressed that lasting solutions can only come from within.
He added that, as external interventions are not expected to be one-off actions, the mechanisms guiding them must be carefully negotiated within the framework of security cooperation between sovereign nations, with clear accountability structures and transparent reporting to prevent abuse and ensure long-term stability.
“The situation in the North-West is dire. Without urgent internal reforms, improved governance, and decisive political leadership, external military interventions will not produce sustainable results,” he warned.
Hashim further questioned the APC-led government’s readiness to undertake the critical internal reforms needed to stabilise the country, arguing that Nigeria continues to grapple with fundamental governance and security deficits that threaten its democratic future.
He also alleged that the government’s apparent reluctance to act decisively may stem from political compromises made during the 2015 struggle for power, which he said now constrain its ability to confront extremist elements head-on.
However, Hashim warned that Nigeria can no longer afford denial or half-measures in the face of what he described as an existential threat, and called for urgent, courageous leadership to prevent further deterioration of national security.
