Presidential Hopeful and Former Presidential Candidate, Gbenga Hashim, has described the recent intervention by the United States as a reflection of growing international concern over Nigeria’s deteriorating security situation, particularly in the North-West where terrorist groups are steadily consolidating their influence.
In a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja, Hashim said responsible global actors could not afford to ignore the emergence of an Islamic State (IS) foothold in Nigeria, stressing that the country is “too large, too strategic, and too important to be allowed to fail.”
He disclosed that since 2021—more intensely over the past year—his team had repeatedly raised alarms that security modelling in the North-West pointed towards a dangerous trajectory, including the possible emergence of an IS-aligned enclave if urgent action was not taken.
Hashim 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.
According to him, the situation is further compounded by the elevation of individuals who enable or rationalise extremism into positions of political influence, thereby creating conditions under which terror groups could aspire to territorial control.
While acknowledging that international airstrikes may temporarily degrade terrorist capabilities, Hashim maintained that sustainable solutions must come from within.
He noted that external interventions, which are unlikely to be one-off actions, should be guided by clearly negotiated frameworks of security cooperation between sovereign nations, with strong accountability mechanisms and transparent reporting to prevent abuse.
“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 cautioned that Nigeria can no longer afford denial or half-measures in the face of what he described as an existential threat, calling for urgent and courageous leadership to halt the further deterioration of national security.
PR: Adamu Yusuf
