2027: Hashim Raises Security Concerns, Proposes National Guard

The presidential candidate of the Accord Party, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has raised concerns over Nigeria’s security situation, warning of the potential threat posed by the spread of terrorism and insurgency if urgent measures are not taken.

Olawepo-Hashim made the remarks during an interview on Mic On with Seun Okinbaloye, where he expressed concerns about the scale and geographical spread of terrorism, particularly in northern Nigeria.

He warned that Nigeria could face the danger of falling into the hands of ISIS-linked terrorists if President Tinubu returns to office in 2027.

According to Olawepo-Hashim, more than 30,000 lives have been lost to terrorism under the President Tinubu administration. He also claimed that terrorists and bandits have expanded their influence in rural communities across several northern states.

Olawepo-Hashim further alleged that armed groups exercise forms of parallel authority in some communities, including collecting taxes from residents. He described such developments as a serious challenge to Nigeria’s territorial integrity and national sovereignty.

He argued that the security situation should no longer be viewed solely as a conventional security challenge.

“Nigeria is at risk of falling into the hands of ISIS if Tinubu returns to office,” he warned.

The Accord candidate said his administration would restructure Nigeria’s internal security architecture, including the establishment of a National Guard to confront insurgency and other major internal security threats.

Olawepo-Hashim has previously advocated the creation of a National Guard as part of a broader restructuring of Nigeria’s security system. In a 2019 policy proposal, he called for a force positioned between the conventional military and the police to strengthen the country’s response to internal security threats.

His latest intervention places national security at the centre of his 2027 campaign, with Hashim arguing that the government needs to strengthen state authority in communities affected by armed groups.

The comments come amid continuing counter-insurgency operations by Nigeria’s security forces. The Federal Government has maintained that security agencies are intensifying operations against terrorists, bandits and kidnappers across the country.

Olawepo-Hashim, however, argues that the scale and geographical spread of the security challenges require a different approach. He said Nigeria must prevent armed groups from developing into alternative centres of authority.

He said the proposed National Guard would form part of a broader strategy to secure vulnerable territories, protect rural communities and strengthen public confidence in the Nigerian state.

For Olawepo-Hashim, the central issue is not only the ability of security forces to neutralise terrorists but also the capacity of the Nigerian state to exercise effective authority across the federation.

He therefore said the 2027 election would be an important opportunity for Nigerians to consider competing proposals on the country’s future security architecture and the protection of citizens and national territory.