Nigeria at war, Tinubu has no strategy to end it — Gbenga Hashim

lSays terrorists still dictate pace of war  lCalls for national security overhaul

The presidential candidate of Accord party, Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has declared that Nigeria was at war being led without a coherent strategy to defeat terrorism and restore national security.

In a statement, yesterday, Olawepo-Hashim condemned the latest wave of killings in Kaduna, Zamfara, Plateau and other states, as well as the abduction of innocent citizens in Kebbi State, including a High Court judge.

He called on the Federal Government to urgently overhaul the nation’s security architecture, reclaim the strategic initiative from terrorists and adopt a proactive doctrine that prevents attacks, rather than merely responding to them.

“Everyday, terrorists retain the initiative while innocent Nigerians pay with their lives. The time has come to stop managing insecurity and start a real offensive aimed at winning the war,” Hashim said.

He added that the relentless attacks across the country demonstrated that terrorists and armed criminal groups continued to dictate the pace of the conflict, choosing when, where and how to strike .

“Nigeria is under attack. This is  war, yet, the President Bola Tinubu administration has no strategy to end it. As long as terrorists determine the time, place and intensity of attacks, they, and not the government, retain the strategic initiative.

“Over 30,000 innocent  people killed in the first three years of this administration, with over 3.7 million people living in IDPs’ camps not able to return home, the scale of this conflict qualifies for the textbook definition of war,” Hashim said.

He described the persistent bloodshed as a national emergency that was eroding national unity, increasing poverty, threatening food security, discouraging investment and damaging Nigeria’s international reputation.

“The first responsibility of any government is the protection of lives and property. No nation can prosper while its citizens live in fear and entire communities remain at the mercy of terrorists and criminal gangs,’’ he said.

Hashim argued that Nigeria’s security response had become “largely reactive,” insisting that the country urgently needed a comprehensive national security strategy built on intelligence superiority, a force motivated to be on the offensive against  forces of terror everywhere in the country, precision military operations, effective border security, community-based policing, modern surveillance technology, disruption of terrorist financing and a swift, credible criminal justice system and integrated defence and security cooperation with neighbouring countries. 

“Wars are not won by reacting to attacks after they happen. They are won by denying the enemy the capability, freedom and confidence to launch them in the first place.”

Hashim maintained that Nigerians deserved leadership with the vision, competence and determination to win the war against terrorism, stressing that strategy and bold implementation of plans, not condolences after every massacre, was what would restore peace and security.

He condoled communities and families of victims but stressed that “condolence is becoming a ritual proving too inadequate to stop the killings. 

“Proper care for the displaced and distressed is  what is immediately needed,’’ Hashim stated

Withheld security funds cause of 17,000 killed in 3 years, Atiku alleges

By Omeiza Ajayi

ABUJA—Former Vice 

President, Atiku Abubakar, has alleged that withholding of appropriated security funds was directly responsible for the deaths of over 17,000 Nigerians since the advent of the President Bola Tinubu administration.

He cited revelations by Senator Mohammed  Monguno, a chieftain of ruling All Progressives Congress APC, as vindication of long-standing opposition concerns.

In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku, who is the presidential candidate of  African Democratic Congress, ADC, said Monguno’s intervention exposed the dangerous consequences of the Tinubu administration’s fiscal mismanagement and helped explain, in part, why insecurity had continued to consume lives across the country.

He noted that since the Tinubu administration assumed office, independent conflict monitors had estimated that well over 17,000 Nigerians had lost their lives in violent attacks, while thousands more had been abducted by terrorists, bandits and other criminal elements. 

He said: “These are not mere statistics. They are fathers, mothers, children, farmers, students and breadwinners whose lives have been cut short. Behind every number is a family condemned to a lifetime of grief.

“For months, the APC dismissed every concern raised by the opposition about budget implementation, security funding and fiscal opacity as politics. Today, one of its own ranking senators has asked the very questions Nigerians have been asking.”

Atiku said Monguno did not merely question budget implementation but why duly enacted budgets were allegedly not being faithfully implemented; why trillions of naira generated by the federation were reportedly being retained instead of being distributed in accordance with the constitution; and why critical security agencies had reportedly not received capital releases despite the worsening security crisis confronting the nation.

“These are not allegations from the opposition, they are grave constitutional questions raised by a distinguished senator of the ruling party,” he said.

Atiku added that if security agencies were denied the funds appropriated by law to procure equipment, strengthen intelligence, improve logistics and support operations, government could not escape responsibility for the consequences.

The former vice president said it was ironic that President Tinubu, who built much of his political identity on criticising former President Goodluck Jonathan over insecurity, now presides over what many describe as a “Sidon Look” Presidency, was now contented with issuing condolences after every massacre, instead of preventing the next one.

He said an ADC administration, under his leadership, would fundamentally reform Nigeria’s security architecture, and promised to ensure that every naira appropriated for national security was released promptly and accounted for.

He equally pledged restore intelligence-led policing, deploy modern surveillance technology, strengthen border security, improve inter-agency coordination, fully equip and motivate security personnel, and establish an effective community-based early warning system to stop attacks before they happen.

“Nigeria does not need a President who merely mourns the dead after every massacre. Nigeria needs a President who protects the living,” he said.

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