Accord Party presidential candidate Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim has told the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom that about 3.68 million Nigerians are internally displaced, calling for greater international action over insecurity, religious persecution and ethnic discrimination. He raised the alarm during an engagement with the commission on Friday, according to a statement issued by his media office on Sunday.

The figure, which Hashim attributed to figures published by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees as of October 2026, was the centrepiece of his appeal. He argued that the displacement crisis cuts across religious and ethnic boundaries and that displaced Hausa communities in particular deserve greater international attention. He also called for the release of Hausa cultural activist Maisango, whom he said was being detained unlawfully.

Hashim drew the commission's attention to reported attacks and the burning of 11 villages in Shanga Local Government Area of Kebbi State, urging the international community not to ignore the plight of the affected communities. He named Kalkami, Tungar Bori and Kawara among the communities hit, where suspected bandits reportedly killed residents, burnt buildings and forced inhabitants to flee during attacks in April 2026.

The engagement comes after the United States designated Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern in October 2025 over religious freedom, following earlier recommendations by the commission. The scale of the displacement is consistent with UNHCR's own reporting, which puts Nigeria's internally displaced population at about 3.6 million, with the north-east hosting the largest share after more than a decade of insurgency. Read the full report on TheNigerian.