A former presidential candidate, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has said the reported killing of a senior Islamic State commander, Abu Bilal al-Minuki, by joint United States and Nigerian military forces validates long-standing concerns over the expansionist agenda of terrorist groups operating in Northern Nigeria.
Olawepo-Hashim, in a statement issued on Saturday and made available to PUNCH Online, however, urged the Federal Government to adopt a broader and more coordinated counter-terrorism strategy beyond the elimination of high-profile insurgent leaders.
He described the operation as a clear demonstration of the gains that could be achieved through genuine international cooperation in the fight against terrorism.
“For over five years, we have consistently advocated for this level of collaboration. This operation underscores what can be achieved when global partners work together sincerely,” he said.
The former presidential candidate noted that he had repeatedly warned that terrorist groups operating within Nigeria were pursuing the objective of establishing an ISIS-style enclave in parts of the North, adding that the latest military success had vindicated those fears.
While commending the joint operation involving the United States and the Nigerian Armed Forces, Olawepo-Hashim cautioned against relying solely on targeted strikes as a long-term security strategy.
According to him, such operations often expose vulnerable rural communities to retaliatory attacks by insurgents.
“Nigeria’s counter-terrorism approach must go beyond periodic strikes. It must be deliberate, sustained, and focused on eliminating terrorism at its roots,” he stated.
He described the country’s security situation as alarming, claiming that more than 18,000 Nigerians had lost their lives to terrorism and related violence in the last three years.
Olawepo-Hashim identified poverty, unemployment, social deprivation and mass illiteracy as key factors fuelling insecurity across the country.
He also warned that Nigeria’s over 18 million out-of-school children remained vulnerable to recruitment by extremist groups.
According to him, the fight against terrorism requires more than military force, stressing the need for good governance and socio-economic policies capable of addressing the root causes of violent extremism.
“Addressing terrorism requires not just military action, but strong governance capable of confronting the socio-economic realities that sustain violent extremism,” he added.
The latest remarks come amid renewed military offensives against insurgent groups operating in the North-East and other parts of the country, where security forces have intensified coordinated operations targeting terrorists and bandits.
Nigeria has battled insurgency for over a decade, particularly in the North-East, where groups linked to Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province have carried out attacks on communities, military formations and public infrastructure, leading to thousands of deaths and widespread displacement.
In recent months, security experts and stakeholders have repeatedly called for deeper international intelligence-sharing, improved border security and stronger socio-economic interventions to address the underlying causes of violent extremism across the country.
