Tinubu Poses National Security Risk, Nigeria Could Fall To ISIS — Hashim

• Proposes National Guard to tackle insurgency

Presidential candidate of the Accord Party, Dr Gbenga Hashim, has warned that Nigeria faces a serious national security challenge, alleging that the country could come under the influence of ISIS-linked terrorists if President Bola Ahmed Tinubu returns to office in 2027.

Hashim spoke during an interview on Mic On with Seun Okinbaloye, where he expressed concern over the spread of terrorism and banditry, particularly in Northern Nigeria.

The Accord candidate claimed that more than 30,000 people had been killed by terrorism under the Tinubu administration, while armed groups had established significant influence in rural communities across 17 of the 19 northern states.

He further alleged that terrorists and bandits were operating forms of parallel authority in some communities, including collecting taxes from residents.

Describing the development as a threat to Nigeria’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, Hashim said the security situation had gone beyond what could be addressed through conventional counter-insurgency operations.

He warned: “Nigeria is at risk of falling into the hands of ISIS if Tinubu returns to office.”

Hashim said that if elected president, his administration would undertake a fundamental restructuring of the country’s internal security architecture, including the establishment of a National Guard to tackle insurgency and other major internal security threats.

He said the proposed National Guard would operate between the conventional military and the police, strengthening the country’s capacity to respond to internal security challenges.

Hashim had previously advocated the creation of such a force as part of his proposed security reforms. In a 2019 policy proposal, he called for a National Guard to complement the roles of the military and police in addressing internal security threats.

According to him, the priority of any government should be to restore effective state authority in communities where terrorists, bandits and other armed groups have established influence.

His comments came amid ongoing counter-insurgency operations by Nigeria’s security agencies against terrorists, bandits and kidnappers across various parts of the country. The Federal Government has repeatedly said its security forces are intensifying efforts to contain the threats.

Hashim, however, maintained that the scale and geographical spread of insecurity required a different approach, arguing that Nigeria could not afford to allow criminal and armed groups to develop into alternative centres of authority.

He said the National Guard would be part of a broader strategy aimed at reclaiming vulnerable territories, protecting rural communities and restoring public confidence in the capacity of the Nigerian state to guarantee security.

Hashim said the key question was not merely the number of terrorists eliminated by security forces, but whether the Nigerian state retained effective control over all parts of the federation.

He therefore described the 2027 election as an important opportunity for Nigerians to decide the direction of the country’s security architecture and the government’s approach to protecting citizens and national territory.