ABUJA — Accord Party presidential candidate, Dr Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has drawn the attention of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) to Nigeria’s estimated 3.68 million internally displaced persons (IDPs), calling for greater international intervention over insecurity, religious persecution and ethnic discrimination.
Hashim also called for the release of Hausa cultural activist, Maisango, whom he alleged was being unlawfully detained, and urged the international community to investigate reports of attacks and the burning of 11 villages in Shanga Local Government Area of Kebbi State.
He made the appeal during an engagement with the commission on Friday, where he discussed Nigeria’s religious freedom and humanitarian challenges.
According to a statement on the engagement, Hashim acknowledged that Christians in Northern Nigeria face persecution but argued that religious freedom violations also affect Muslim minorities, including Shia Muslims and Hausa communities.
He said Nigeria’s religious freedom challenges extended beyond the conventional Christian-Muslim divide, alleging that ethnic identity and cultural affiliation also influenced religious and social acceptance in some communities.
The Accord candidate particularly raised concerns about what he described as the marginalisation of Hausa Muslims in parts of Northern Nigeria, arguing that some communities experience unequal treatment despite sharing the same Islamic faith with other groups.
On Maisango’s detention, Hashim alleged that the cultural activist had been held without trial despite reportedly being dismissed from his employment with the Department of State Services (DSS).
He called for his immediate release, emphasising the need to respect due process and fundamental human rights.
Hashim also cited an estimated 3.68 million internally displaced persons in Nigeria, referencing UNHCR figures as of October 2026, and argued that the humanitarian crisis cut across religious and ethnic boundaries.
He specifically highlighted reported attacks on communities in Shanga Local Government Area of Kebbi State, including Kalkami, Tungar Bori and Kawara.
According to him, reports of attacks in April 2026 indicated that suspected bandits killed residents, set buildings ablaze and forced inhabitants to flee their homes.
He said reports that 11 villages were burnt in the area deserved sustained international attention.
Hashim further alleged that some armed groups operating in the region were more interested in killing residents, destroying settlements and taking control of territory than in religious conversion.
He blamed what he described as the government’s failure to adequately protect vulnerable communities and decisively confront armed groups, warning that the country’s security and religious freedom challenges must not deteriorate further ahead of another political transition.
The presidential candidate also criticised what he termed insufficient accountability under the present administration, alleging that political considerations had weakened efforts to tackle terrorism and other forms of armed violence.
He recalled that the United States designated Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern in October 2025 over religious freedom concerns, following earlier recommendations by USCIRF.
He said the international community should recognise victims of religious and ethnic persecution across all communities rather than concentrate on one religious group.
Hashim called for a comprehensive approach that addresses the experiences of Christians, Shia Muslims, Hausa communities and other vulnerable populations, while ensuring that state institutions protect constitutionally guaranteed rights.
He commended the commission for its work on religious freedom in Nigeria and acknowledged US President Donald Trump’s interest in the issue.
He said religious freedom was “an intrinsic part of democratic right”.
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