Former presidential candidate and public policy advocate, Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has strongly condemned the latest wave of violence in Plateau and Ondo States, describing the persistent killings as a grim reflection of Nigeria’s deteriorating security system.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Hashim lamented the unending bloodshed and called for urgent, systemic reforms to address the nation’s worsening insecurity.
“How many more innocent lives must be lost before real and lasting solutions are implemented? When will this bloodletting stop?” he queried.
He criticized the Federal Government’s inability to maintain full control over national security while simultaneously resisting calls for the decentralization of security responsibilities to State and Local Governments.
Hashim argued that Nigeria’s centralized security structure is overstretched and incapable of responding swiftly and effectively to grassroots threats. He also faulted the lack of coordinated border control with neighboring countries, noting the unhindered flow of arms and insurgents into Nigeria as a key enabler of the crisis.
According to him, bandits and terrorists now operate with calculated ease, often relocating to regions with weaker or delayed security presence. He noted the evolving pattern of violence, shifting from the North East to the North West, and now the North Central.
Describing this pattern as an "adaptive insurgency", Hashim emphasized the need for a decentralized, intelligence-driven strategy, with robust collaboration between federal, state, and regional actors.
“What is happening in Nigeria are not isolated communal disputes,” he said. “It is coordinated rural and semi-urban guerrilla warfare by a motley alliance of terror and banditry forces that have chosen the entire Northern Nigeria as their theatre of operation.”
Hashim expressed condolences to the families and communities affected by the violence, stating:
“Our hearts go out to those who lost loved ones and those wounded. We pray for strength and speedy recovery.”
Meanwhile, police authorities have confirmed the arrest of two suspects in connection with the killings in Bokkos, Plateau State. The suspects are currently assisting with ongoing investigations.
Dr. Gbenga Hashim, who contested in the 2019 presidential elections, remains a vocal figure in Nigeria’s political and policy landscape, consistently advocating for national unity, restructuring, and development.
