PDP chieftain and former presidential candidate, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has criticised the Nigerian government for failing to protect its citizens amid what he described as an alarming escalation of violence across the country.
Speaking in an interview with ARISE News on Wednesday, Olawepo-Hashim said Nigerians generally reject foreign intervention, but stressed that the real issue is not America’s stance, but the federal government’s failure to ensure security and accountability.
“Ordinarily, Nigerians don’t like foreign intervention. But the major point we must not lose sight of is that this is about killings in staggering numbers in the country and failure of leadership to offer protection for the people — whether they are Muslims, Christians or animists,” he said.
He cited data from official and independent sources, insisting that the situation has worsened under the current administration.
“The statistics from the Federal Office of Statistics show that in the first half of 2025, the number of killings associated with kidnappings and violence has doubled compared to the entire year of 2024. Amnesty International’s report, which is credible, reveals that in the past two years, 10,215 people have been killed, 80% of them in Plateau and Benue states,” he said.
The PDP stalwart faulted the federal government’s diplomatic response to recent tensions following US President Donald Trump’s comments on religious killings, saying Nigeria’s foreign policy structures have collapsed under the APC administration.
“What shocks me is not Trump’s statement but the Nigerian government’s response. There were hearings in the U.S. Senate on these issues for years, yet Nigeria didn’t even have a functioning ambassador in the United States. They talk about using back channels, but that’s not how to conduct foreign relations,” he said.
Olawepo-Hashim warned that the Tinubu administration’s “reckless and incoherent” foreign policy has weakened Nigeria’s global standing.
“Nigeria used to be a stabilising force in West Africa, a reliable partner since our first UN peace mission in Congo. But under this administration, even the joint commissions with neighbouring countries like Niger have been paralysed for nearly a decade,” he noted.
He further alleged that insecurity persists because of entrenched interests profiting from instability.
“There are many members of the political elite on various sides profiting from the instability. People are selling solid minerals in northern states without paying a dime to the federal government. Anywhere you find gold or lithium, you find bandits and arms. There’s business going on, and even factions within the military are involved,” he claimed.
Olawepo-Hashim called for urgent action and transparency, saying Nigeria must confront its security and governance failures rather than politicise them.
“Somebody has to stop this mess right now. People are dying in their thousands. If Trump’s threat gives us the occasion to face this reality beyond rhetoric and politics, so be it,” he said.
Rejecting suggestions that he viewed the crisis as a political opportunity for the opposition, he maintained that his priority was to end the killings.
“I am not a regular politician. I’m from the North-Central, where 80% of the victims come from. What is important to me is how to stop the killings right now, not next year,” he said.
Olawepo-Hashim urged the government to restore institutional diplomatic frameworks, pursue genuine defence partnerships within Africa, and act decisively to end what he called “a tragedy that has gone on for far too long.”
Boluwatife Enome
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