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Accord Party presidential candidate, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has accused the Federal Government of failing to adequately protect vulnerable communities from terrorist attacks, religious persecution and ethnic discrimination, as he drew the attention of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) to the plight of about 3.68 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) across Nigeria.
Hashim, who engaged the Commission at the weekend, called for greater international scrutiny of Nigeria’s worsening humanitarian and security challenges, insisting that the suffering of victims should not be viewed exclusively through the Christian-Muslim divide, as members of both religions and different ethnic communities continued to experience violence, discrimination and displacement.
He particularly raised concerns over the alleged persecution and marginalisation of Hausa Muslim communities in parts of Northern Nigeria, the continued detention of Hausa cultural activist, Ibrahim Bichia Maisango and the destruction of several communities in Shanga Local Government Area of Kebbi State by suspected terrorists.
The opposition politician acknowledged the persecution of Christians in Northern Nigeria but maintained that religious intolerance and discrimination extended to Muslim minorities, including Shia Muslims and minority sects within the broader Islamic community.
According to him, religious affiliation does not necessarily guarantee equal treatment, as ethnic identity, cultural differences and sectarian divisions sometimes determine acceptance and access to opportunities even among people professing the same faith.
He argued that Hausa Muslim communities had also suffered discrimination, exclusion and attacks, stressing that international interventions would be incomplete unless they recognised the experiences of all vulnerable religious and ethnic groups.
Hashim specifically drew the Commission’s attention to the detention of Maisango, a Hausa cultural rights advocate and former Department of State Services (DSS) personnel, whom he alleged had remained in custody without trial.
He called for the activist’s immediate release, insisting that the continued detention of any citizen without due process amounted to a violation of fundamental rights and should attract the attention of institutions concerned with human rights and democratic freedoms.
The Accord candidate also presented Nigeria’s growing displacement crisis as evidence of the devastating impact of insecurity on communities across religious and ethnic boundaries.
Citing figures published by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), he said approximately 3.68 million Nigerians had been displaced within the country as of October 2026, with many uprooted from their ancestral homes by terrorism, banditry, communal violence and other security challenges.
He maintained that the experiences of displaced Hausa communities, alongside those of Christians, Shia Muslims and other vulnerable populations, deserved greater international recognition and humanitarian intervention.
Drawing particular attention to Kebbi State, Hashim cited the April 2026 attacks on communities in Shanga Local Government Area, including Kalkami, Tungar Bori and Kawara, where suspected bandits killed residents, destroyed buildings and forced families to abandon their homes.
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He said reports that 11 villages were burnt during the attacks illustrated the scale of destruction being inflicted on rural communities and the urgent need for stronger security responses.
The Kebbi State Police Command had confirmed that 44 people were killed in coordinated attacks on communities in Shanga in April, prompting security operations aimed at restoring normalcy and preventing further assaults.
Hashim alleged that some of the armed groups operating in affected areas were not primarily motivated by religious conversion but by the desire to kill residents, destroy settlements and seize control of territory.
He consequently urged international organisations and Nigeria’s development partners to recognise the wider dimensions of the security crisis, including territorial displacement, ethnic discrimination and the destruction of livelihoods.
The presidential candidate also criticised what he described as the Federal Government’s failure to decisively confront armed groups and protect citizens, alleging that political considerations and insufficient accountability had weakened the response to terrorism and other forms of organised violence.
He warned against allowing insecurity and violations of religious freedom to worsen as Nigeria approaches the 2027 general elections, maintaining that the protection of lives, property and constitutional rights must remain a fundamental responsibility of government.
The engagement came against the background of renewed international scrutiny of Nigeria’s religious freedom record following the United States’ designation of the country as a Country of Particular Concern in October 2025.
USCIRF, which had consistently recommended the designation, reiterated its concerns in its 2026 annual report, citing religious violence, attacks by armed groups and the failure to adequately investigate violations or hold perpetrators accountable.
Hashim commended the Commission for its continued engagement on religious freedom in Nigeria and acknowledged President Donald Trump’s interest in the country’s security and religious freedom challenges.
He maintained that religious freedom was an intrinsic part of democratic rights and should be guaranteed to every Nigerian, irrespective of religion, ethnic origin or cultural affiliation.
He called for a comprehensive international response that would recognise the suffering of Christians, Shia Muslims, Hausa communities and other vulnerable groups, while holding state institutions accountable for the protection of lives and fundamental freedoms.
