Olawepo-Hashim Calls for Broader Anti-Terror Strategy

Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, a former presidential candidate, praised the killing of senior Islamic State commander Abu Bilal al-Minuki by a joint unit of the United States and Nigerian military forces. He expressed concerns about the expansionist agenda of terrorist groups operating in Northern Nigeria and urged the federal government to implement a more comprehensive counter-terrorism strategy.

In a statement issued on Saturday, Olawepo-Hashim highlighted the need for genuine international cooperation in the fight against terrorism, noting that 18,000 Nigerians have lost their lives to terror-related violence in the last three years. He identified poverty, unemployment, social deprivation, and mass illiteracy as key factors fueling insecurity across the country.

Olawepo-Hashim warned that Nigeria's 18 million school children remain vulnerable to recruitment by extremist groups and stressed that combating terrorism requires not only military action but also strong governance and socio-economic policies to address the root causes of violent extremism.