By Ahmed Akanbi
Presidential candidate of the Accord Party, Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has said Nigeria is at war with terrorism but President Bola Tinubu’s administration has no coherent strategy to defeat it and restore national security.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the veteran politician condemned the latest wave of killings in Kaduna, Zamfara, Plateau and other states as well as the abduction of innocent citizens, including a High Court judge in Kebbi State.
“Nigeria is under attack. This is war, yet, the President Bola Ahmed 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,” he added.
According to him, over 30,000 innocent people have been killed in the first three years of this administration, with more than 3.7 million people living in IDP camps unable to return home.
“The scale of this conflict qualifies for the textbook definition of war,” he lamented.
Hashim described the persistent bloodshed as a national emergency 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.
The Accord candidate called for a comprehensive national security strategy built on intelligence superiority, precision military operations, effective border security, modern surveillance technology, and a swift criminal justice system.
“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,” he noted.
He urged the Federal Government to urgently overhaul the nation’s security architecture 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 concluded.