Nigerian Leaders Criticized for Failing to Ensure Citizen Safety

Former presidential candidate and prominent member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has publicly condemned the Nigerian government for its inability to protect citizens from escalating violence. In an interview with ARISE News on March 13, 2024, he highlighted a troubling increase in violent incidents throughout the country, emphasizing the urgent need for effective leadership.

Olawepo-Hashim noted that while many Nigerians generally oppose foreign intervention, the pressing issue lies not in the international response but in the federal government’s failure to provide security and accountability. He stated, “Ordinarily, Nigerians don’t like foreign intervention. But the major point we must not lose sight of is that this is about killings in staggering numbers in the country and failure of leadership to offer protection for the people — whether they are Muslims, Christians or animists.”

The former candidate cited alarming statistics from both official and independent sources, asserting that violence has intensified under the current administration. According to the Federal Office of Statistics, killings linked to kidnappings and violence in the first half of 2025 have doubled compared to the entire year of 2024. Furthermore, a report from Amnesty International indicates that over 10,215 people have been killed in the past two years, with approximately 80% of these fatalities occurring in Plateau and Benue states.

Olawepo-Hashim criticized the federal government’s diplomatic approach in light of recent tensions following comments made by then-U.S. President Donald Trump regarding religious violence in Nigeria. He claimed that Nigeria’s foreign policy has deteriorated under the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration, stating, “What shocks me is not Trump’s statement but the Nigerian government’s response. There were hearings in the U.S. Senate on these issues for years, yet Nigeria didn’t even have a functioning ambassador in the United States.”

He cautioned that the current administration’s “reckless and incoherent” foreign policy has diminished Nigeria’s international standing. “Nigeria used to be a stabilising force in West Africa, a reliable partner since our first UN peace mission in Congo. But under this administration, even the joint commissions with neighbouring countries like Niger have been paralysed for nearly a decade,” he added.

Olawepo-Hashim further alleged that ongoing insecurity is partly due to entrenched interests that benefit from instability. He suggested that various political elites profit from the chaos, with illegal mining operations in northern states continuing without any financial contribution to the federal government. “Anywhere you find gold or lithium, you find bandits and arms. There’s business going on, and even factions within the military are involved,” he claimed.

The PDP leader called for immediate action and transparency, urging the government to confront its security and governance failures rather than politicising them. “Somebody has to stop this mess right now. People are dying in their thousands. If Trump’s threat gives us the occasion to face this reality beyond rhetoric and politics, so be it,” he stated.

Rejecting any notion that he views the crisis as a political opportunity for the opposition, Olawepo-Hashim emphasized his concern for the victims, asserting, “I am not a regular politician. I’m from the North-Central, where 80% of the victims come from. What is important to me is how to stop the killings right now, not next year.”

He concluded by urging the government to restore institutional diplomatic frameworks, pursue genuine defence partnerships within Africa, and take decisive action to address what he described as “a tragedy that has gone on for far too long.”