Accord Party presidential candidate, Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has drawn international attention to the plight of over 3.68 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), calling for a broader response to religious persecution, ethnic discrimination and insecurity during an engagement with the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF).
Hashim, also called for the release of Hausa cultural activist, Maisango, who he said was being unlawfully detained.
He also expressed displeasure over attacks and the burning of 11 villages in Shanga Local Government Area of Kebbi State, urging the international community to pay closer attention to the suffering of affected communities.
Speaking during the engagement over the weekend, Hashim acknowledged that Christians in Northern Nigeria face persecution but argued that religious persecution in the country extends beyond Christians. He pointed to the persecution of Muslim minorities, including Shia Muslims, Minority Sects even in the broader Shiite group, and argued that Hausa Muslim communities also face discrimination, exclusion and persecution.
According to him, Nigeria’s religious freedom crisis extends beyond the conventional Christian-Muslim divide, pointing to discrimination within Muslim communities in which ethnic identity and cultural affiliation can influence religious and social acceptance.
He particularly highlighted what he described as the marginalisation of Hausa Muslims in parts of Northern Nigeria, stressing that some Hausa communities experience unequal treatment despite sharing the same Islamic faith
The Accord candidate also raised the case of Hausa cultural activist, Maisango, whom he said remains in detention without trial despite reportedly having been dismissed from his employment with the Department of State Services (DSS).
He called for Maisango’s immediate release, stressing the importance of due process and respect for fundamental rights.
The politician also drew attention to Nigeria’s displacement crisis, citing approximately 3.68 million internally displaced persons, based on UNHCR figures as of October 2026.
He argued that the humanitarian crisis cuts across religious and ethnic boundaries and that the experiences of displaced Hausa communities deserve greater international recognition.
He specifically cited attacks on communities in Shanga Local Government Area of Kebbi State, including Kalkami, Tungar Bori and Kawara. Reports of the April 2026 attacks indicated that suspected bandits killed residents, set buildings ablaze and forced people to flee their homes.
Hashim said the reported burning of 11 villages in the area deserved sustained international attention. He alleged that some armed groups operating in the region are not primarily interested in religious conversion but in killing residents, destroying settlements and taking control of territory.
A major concern raised by Hashim was what he described as the government’s failure to protect vulnerable communities and decisively confront armed groups.
He warned that Nigeria mustn’t allow the security and religious freedom situation to deteriorate further as the country approaches another political transition.
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