Olawepo-Hashim urges politicians to stop politicising killings in Northeast

PEOPLE’S Trust (PT) presidential candidate Mr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim has advised politicians to rise above partisan fray in their reactions to the killings of troops in the Northeast region.

According to a statement by Mr. Hassan Ibrahim, his spokesman, Olawepo-Hashim, who is regarded as a third force in emerging political calculations, said instead of politicising the sad event, politicians should seek a cross-party and consensual approach in dealing with the national scourge.

The upbeat candidate, who was lately endorsed by women in the Southwest region, stressed that it was time politicians desist from matters that could affect national security.

“National security is not supposed to be a partisan issue. It is a matter for the collective, because if there is no security, there cannot be politics and nationhood,” he noted.

Olawepo-Hashim regretted the killings of Nigerian troops, observing that the troops were heroes, who laid their lives protecting their fatherland.

The statement said the presidential candidate condoled with the government and people of Nigeria on the death of the gallant soldiers and all others who have lost their lives in recent days in different parts of the country.

He prayed for the repose of their souls and for the quick recovery of the injured.

When elected as President in 2019, the statement added that the candidate promised to improve on the security situation in the country within 90 days, ahead of the development of completely new security architecture.

He said: “The objective of this will be to upgrade telecommunication, military hardware, training, welfare of personnel, etc. Above all, there will be the need to address the root causes of insurgency, and security challenges such as kidnapping, communal killings, clashes between herdsmen and farmers, pipeline vandalism, etc.”

Olawepo-Hashim, however, hailed the reported move to assist the families of the late soldiers as timely, adding that it is consistent with international best practices.