Aisha Yesufu’s New Post On Chibok Girls Stirs Controversy

Nigerian activist Aisha Yesufu has reignited discussions on Nigeria’s handling of the 2014 Chibok schoolgirls’ abduction with a thought-provoking post on social media.

In a statement on her X handle, Aisha Yesufu urged Nigerians to reflect on how the prioritization of politics over human lives in 2014 contributed to the nation’s ongoing security crises.

Yesufu wrote:
“When you get that phone call that your loved one has been kidnapped or you are the one kidnapped… remember April 14, 2014, when 276 schoolgirls were abducted from their schools, and many Nigerians decided who was President was more important to them than the lives of 276 Nigerian children.”

The post quickly went viral, drawing mixed reactions from social media users, with some supporting her stance and others accusing her of being used as a political tool.

A significant number of responses suggested that the #BringBackOurGirls (BBOG) movement, which Yesufu co-led, was allegedly influenced by political interests to oust former President Goodluck Jonathan.

One user, @mimmie_marie2, claimed, “Without you knowing, you were used at the time to bring Buhari to power. The #BBOG was sponsored for that purpose. The least you can do is apologize for the role you played and move on!”

Similarly, @SabinaNkiru alleged that the kidnappers were the same people who funded the movement: “Those who abducted them are those who wanted to use that very incident to hijack power.”

Others, like @lifeinsolace, outright denied the kidnappings ever happened, calling it “a planned attempt to destabilize Nigeria.”

However, some users came to Yesufu’s defense, emphasizing that the Chibok girls’ abduction was real and should not be politicized.

@UbakaPrecious called for caution, saying, “Never say they weren’t actually kidnapped because we saw the release of a few girls who testified the other girls in the camp were going through hell.”

Others acknowledged that Yesufu may have been unknowingly used but insisted that this did not erase the legitimacy of the campaign. @factonuggets pointed out: “We can have good intentions for a cause, and other people can take advantage of that for their own agenda, making us an accomplice to any disaster that follows.”

The debate quickly turned personal, with some users attacking Yesufu’s character. @princejH2O accused her of political opportunism, writing: “At this point, you need to stfu!!!! You’re just an opportunist!!!”

Others linked her past activism to Nigeria’s current political landscape. @iamIfeanyiMadu sarcastically asked, “So after you installed the mannequin called Buhari, the abductions and insecurity stopped?”

Meanwhile, @ferdicson4u argued that blaming Jonathan was unfair, stating, “What exactly did you want GEJ to do at that time? You think you know better, but you just confirmed why you helped bring in the president who said a woman’s job is in the kitchen.”

Aisha Yesufu’s latest post has once again sparked intense debate about Nigeria’s political history, the role of citizen activism, and the long-lasting impact of the Chibok kidnappings. While some believe she should acknowledge being used, others insist that her advocacy was genuine and necessary.

As conversations continue to unfold, the controversy highlights a broader issue: the intersection of activism and politics in Nigeria and how historical events continue to shape public discourse.

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