Former presidential candidate Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim has raised alarm that a coalition of terror groups with global connections is actively plotting to establish a parallel state within Nigeria, following the recent killings in Benue State.
Olawepo-Hashim called on Nigerians across religious, political, and tribal divides to unite against what he described as an imminent threat to the nation's sovereignty. He criticized the Federal Government for its persistent delay in implementing recommended security strategies, particularly the decentralization of policing through state and local police establishments.
"The killings in Benue last weekend are a tragic reminder of the complete breakdown of security in Northern Nigeria. What we are witnessing is not isolated violence, but a coordinated effort by a mortal alliance of terror groups whose goal is to carve out a State within Nigeria," he stated.
Expanding Insurgency Threat
The politician described the Yelewata incident as evidence of an "adaptive insurgency" operating with increasing sophistication across northern Nigeria. He warned that the wave of terror has expanded beyond Benue and the Northeast to engulf large parts of the Northwest, including Zamfara, Kebbi, Kaduna, and sections of Katsina States.
"Communities continue to suffer loss of life, livelihoods, and dignity," Olawepo-Hashim emphasized, noting the insurgency's growing incursion into North Central and Southern regions, with recent activities reported in Kwara, Ekiti, Ondo, and Kogi States.
In a pointed critique of the ruling party, he suggested that since 2014, the APC has "found the strategy to win elections, but they have not found, or pretend not to find, the strategy to end insecurity and poverty." He questioned whether elements within the ruling party might be covertly aligned with forces of terror.
The government's failure to implement effective security measures, according to Olawepo-Hashim, "suggests either gross negligence or willful complicity" in the face of escalating violence across the country.
Follow BenriNews on our social media platforms for more updates:
