Olawepo-Hashim Meets US Commission Over Nigeria’s 3.6m IDPs, Maisango’s Release

Accord Party presidential candidate, Dr. Gbenga Olawepo Hashim, has called on the international community to intervene in Nigeria’s humanitarian and religious freedom crisis, citing the plight of approximately 3.68 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the country.

Olawepo-Hashim made the call during an engagement with the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), where he raised concerns over religious persecution, ethnic discrimination, insecurity and the continued displacement of vulnerable communities across the country.

The Accord Party candidate, described as the first major opposition political leader to be engaged by the Commission, also called for the immediate release of Hausa cultural activist, Maisango, whom he alleged was being unlawfully detained without trial.

According to a statement from his media office on Sunday, during the engagement on Friday, Olawepo-Hashim acknowledged that Christians in Northern Nigeria face persecution but stressed that religious intolerance and discrimination in the country extend beyond the Christian-Muslim divide.

He identified Shia Muslims, minority Islamic sects and Hausa Muslim communities among groups whose experiences of persecution, exclusion and discrimination deserve greater international attention.

According to him, Nigeria’s religious freedom challenges are more complex than often portrayed, as ethnic identity and cultural affiliation can also determine how individuals and communities are treated, even among people who share the same religious beliefs.

Olawepo-Hashim particularly highlighted the alleged marginalisation of Hausa Muslims in parts of Northern Nigeria, arguing that some communities experience unequal treatment despite professing the same Islamic faith as other groups.

He also raised concerns over the continued detention of Maisango, a Hausa cultural activist, who he said remained in custody without trial despite reportedly having been dismissed from his employment with the Department of State Services (DSS).

He called for Maisango’s immediate release, emphasising the need for due process, respect for fundamental human rights and protection of citizens against unlawful detention.

On the humanitarian situation, Olawepo-Hashim cited approximately 3.68 million internally displaced persons in Nigeria, referencing UNHCR figures as of October 2026.

He argued that the displacement crisis cuts across religious and ethnic boundaries, insisting that the plight of displaced Hausa communities and other vulnerable populations should receive equal international recognition.

The Accord Party presidential candidate specifically drew attention to reported attacks on communities in Shanga Local Government Area of Kebbi State, including Kalkami, Tungar Bori and Kawara.

Reports of the April 2026 attacks indicated that suspected bandits killed residents, set buildings ablaze and forced several families to flee their homes.

Olawepo-Hashim said reports of the burning of 11 villages in the area required sustained international attention, alleging that some armed groups operating in the region were more interested in killing residents, destroying settlements and taking control of territories than pursuing religious conversion.

He expressed concern over what he described as the government’s failure to adequately protect vulnerable communities and decisively confront armed groups responsible for violence and displacement.

He warned that Nigeria must not allow its security and religious freedom challenges to deteriorate further as the country approaches another political transition.

Olawepo-Hashim also criticised what he described as inadequate accountability under the present administration, alleging that political considerations had undermined efforts to confront terrorism and other forms of armed violence.

Nigeria was designated a Country of Particular Concern by the United States in October 2025, following earlier recommendations by USCIRF. The Commission also called for the designation in its 2026 recommendations.

Olawepo-Hashim maintained that international attention must recognise all victims of religious and ethnic persecution rather than concentrate on one religious community to the exclusion of others.

He called for a comprehensive approach that acknowledges the experiences of Christians, Shia Muslims, Hausa communities and other vulnerable populations, while holding relevant state institutions accountable for their constitutional responsibility to protect citizens and guarantee fundamental rights.

The Accord Party presidential candidate commended USCIRF for its work on religious freedom in Nigeria and acknowledged President Donald Trump’s interest in the issue.

He stressed that religious freedom remains fundamental to democracy, declaring that “religious freedom is an intrinsic part of democratic right.”