Former presidential aspirant Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim has faulted the Federal Government following reports of a United States military air operation conducted in Nigeria, saying the development casts serious doubts on the security record of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
In a statement released on Sunday, Olawepo-Hashim argued that the involvement of foreign forces in addressing security threats within Nigeria underscores growing international concern about the country’s deteriorating safety landscape. He noted that the operation, reportedly carried out in collaboration with Nigerian authorities, signals a lack of confidence in the nation’s internal security capacity.
According to him, the incident exposes longstanding weaknesses in Nigeria’s security framework under the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government, describing the existing internal security system as fragile and ineffective.
Olawepo-Hashim maintained that global powers could not simply stand by in the face of the potential establishment of an Islamic State-linked presence in Nigeria. He emphasized that Nigeria’s size, strategic relevance, and regional influence make it a country the international community cannot afford to see descend into chaos.
He further revealed that his team has, since 2021 and more urgently within the past year, repeatedly raised alarms over security trend analyses in the North-West. These assessments, he said, pointed to an alarming path that could result in the formation of an IS-aligned enclave if swift and decisive measures were not implemented.
The former presidential candidate also expressed concern over what he described as the rise of individuals who excuse or downplay extremist activities into influential political positions, warning that such developments create an enabling environment for terrorist groups to pursue territorial ambitions.
Referencing the recent explosion in Offa, Kwara State, Olawepo-Hashim noted that the incident, which caused panic and damage to property, further highlighted serious lapses in Nigeria’s intelligence gathering and internal security coordination.
While acknowledging that foreign military strikes may temporarily weaken terrorist networks, he stressed that lasting security cannot be achieved through external force alone. According to him, meaningful internal reforms remain the only path to sustainable peace.
He cautioned that continuous reliance on foreign military intervention, if left unchecked, could raise serious questions about national sovereignty and accountability. He therefore called for clearly defined frameworks, transparency, and strict oversight in any security collaboration with international partners.
“The security crisis in the North-West has reached a critical point. Without urgent reforms, improved governance, and strong political will, external military support will not deliver lasting solutions,” he warned.
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