Accord candidate Olawepo-Hashim tells US Congress he will protect Christians, Muslims and other faiths

Accord Party presidential candidate Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim says protecting every Nigerian's right to worship freely must become a central pillar of the country's security and conflict prevention strategy, according to ThisDay and Sahara Reporters.

He made the case in a policy brief submitted to the United States Congress and the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) ahead of a US House hearing on Nigeria this week. He promised to protect the religious freedom of Christians, Muslims and members of other faiths if he is elected president in 2027.

Olawepo-Hashim acknowledged the persecution of Christians in parts of the country. "Christians in northern and central Nigeria face persecution," he wrote. "Churches have been burned, villages destroyed, and pastors killed. This is real."

He cautioned, however, against presenting the crisis only as a conflict between Christians and Muslims. "But Shia Muslims, minority sects, and Hausa Muslim communities also face persecution and discrimination," he said. "Framing Nigeria as Christians versus Muslims divides Nigeria. Framing it as all victims versus violent extremism unites Nigeria."

He argued that religious freedom should be treated not only as a human rights issue but also as an instrument of conflict prevention and national security, and laid out a chain of cause and effect. "When people cannot worship freely, they feel excluded. When killers are not punished, impunity grows. When impunity grows, communities form militias. When militias grow, extremists recruit from them."

"Protecting a church in Plateau, a Shia mosque in Kaduna and a Hausa cultural centre in Kebbi is how we stop extremism before it takes root," he added.

The Accord candidate said that, if elected, his administration would develop and implement a national strategy on religious freedom, linked to the prevention of violent extremism and the countering of violent extremism.

The brief was submitted ahead of a US House hearing on Nigeria, and the safety of religious communities has featured heavily in the 2027 campaign debate at home.

The brief is a campaign document submitted by a candidate. It does not represent the position of the Nigerian government or of other parties, and its claims reflect his own assessment.