Accord Party presidential candidate, Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has drawn international attention to the plight of approximately 3.68 million internally displaced Nigerians, 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, who is the first major opposition political leader to be engaged by the Commission, also called for the release of Hausa cultural activist, Maisango, whom he said was being unlawfully detained. He further highlighted reports of 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 on Friday, 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.
He said 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.
Hashim particularly highlighted what he described as the marginalisation of Hausa Muslims in parts of Northern Nigeria.
According to him, 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.
Hashim 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 must not allow the security and religious freedom situation to deteriorate further as the country approaches another political transition.
Hashim further criticised what he described as insufficient accountability under the present administration, alleging that political interests have weakened the government’s response to terrorism and other forms of armed violence.
The United States designated Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern in October 2025, following earlier recommendations by USCIRF, which also called for the designation in its 2026 recommendations.
Hashim argued that international attention must recognise all victims of religious and ethnic persecution rather than focus on one religious community alone.
He called for a comprehensive approach that recognises the experiences of Christians, Shia Muslims, Hausa communities and other vulnerable populations, while addressing the responsibility of State institutions to protect constitutional rights.
The Accord Party Presidential candidate commended the commission for its work on religious freedom in Nigeria and President’s Trump’s interest in the subject, stating that “religious freedom is an intrinsic part of democratic right”.
