Aisha Yesufu, a co-founder of the Bring Back Our Girls movement, has expressed strong opinions on the state of Nigeria under different administrations.
Speaking on Prime Time, an Arise TV programme, she described former President Goodluck Jonathan’s tenure as disastrous.
However, she noted that the country has continued to struggle under the governments that followed.
Yesufu dismissed claims that the Bring Back Our Girls movement received foreign funding, particularly from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
She insisted that the movement was not a registered organization but a self-funded effort by individuals who were outraged by the abduction of the Chibok girls in 2014.
According to her, members contributed their own resources to sustain their protests and advocacy.
She criticized Jonathan for his handling of the crisis, pointing out that it took him 19 days to address the Chibok girls’ abduction.
She also recalled that before the Chibok incident, schoolboys in Buni Yadi had been killed, and the administration did not take action.
Yesufu also condemned the response of subsequent administrations.
She stated that former President Muhammadu Buhari performed worse, and President Bola Tinubu’s leadership is also failing.
She argued that comparing Jonathan’s government to Buhari’s should not excuse past failures. Instead, she believes Nigerians should hold all leaders accountable for poor governance.
Reflecting on the security challenges, she recalled how the Nigerian military retreated from Boko Haram fighters and crossed into Cameroon, a situation she described as embarrassing. She also criticized Nigerians who, in her view, prioritize political interests over the safety of citizens.
Yesufu maintained that she had every right to call for Jonathan’s removal in 2015 due to what she saw as incompetence and corruption.
She insisted that she does not regret working to vote him out, despite the disappointment that followed with Buhari’s administration.
According to her, Nigerians should demand better leadership rather than compare one failed government to another.
She reaffirmed her commitment to advocacy and stated that no amount of misinformation could erase the sacrifices made by members of the Bring Back Our Girls movement in their fight for justice.
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