Oriire rescue: Gbenga Hashim lauds security forces

…Says criminals can be defeated with strong political backing

Presidential candidate of the Accord Party for the 2027 general election, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has commended Nigeria’s security agencies for the successful rescue of victims abducted in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State after about 56 days in captivity.

He said the operation demonstrated that the country’s security forces possess the capacity to defeat criminal gangs when given consistent political support.

In a statement issued at the weekend, Hashim described the rescue as a significant victory for the nation and argued that Nigeria’s security challenges stem less from the competence of its armed forces than from the need for sustained political direction and unwavering leadership.
“We have never doubted the ability of Nigeria’s Defence Forces to secure the country. What has often been lacking is clarity of purpose and unwavering political leadership,” he said.

The former presidential candidate cited the Nigerian military’s distinguished record in international peacekeeping missions, particularly in Liberia and Sierra Leone, where Nigerian troops, operating under the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG), played leading roles in ending prolonged conflicts and restoring peace.

According to him, the successful rescue in Oriire should serve as a model for a coordinated nationwide campaign against kidnappers, bandits and other violent criminal groups terrorising communities across the country.

“The same determination that secured the freedom of the Oriire victims must now be deployed across every community where innocent Nigerians remain in captivity,…