Aisha Yesufu: Buhari’s body language enables terrorists… his words mean nothing

Aisha Yesufu, activist and co-convener of the Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) movement, says President Muhammadu Buhari acts like a leader who isn’t bothered about the insecurity in the country.

Yesufu stated this in reaction to the increasing rate of abductions of schoolchildren in the country, when she featured on a Channels Television programme, on Friday.

According to Yesufu, Buhari has not done much to address the situation, and as such, his body language “enables terrorists”.

Earlier on Friday, armed bandits attacked Government Girls Secondary School, Jangede, Talata-Mafara local government area of Zamfara, and abducted 317 students.

This is the second time within the past two weeks that bandits will abduct schoolchildren — on February 17, a total of 27 students were kidnapped from Government Science College, Kagara, Niger state.

Reacting, the activist said the statement of the president that his administration will ensure the safe release of the schoolchildren doesn’t show much on action.

“What I make of the statement is absolutely nothing. We are used to a president whose words mean nothing. He says one thing, and another thing happens,” she said.

“The body language of President Muhammadu Buhari enables the terrorists. They know that we have an ineffective president and commander-in-chief. We have an incompetent one, a clueless one, who does not even bother about what is happening in the country.

“Yesterday, we buried seven military officers — the best that we have. The nation was in mourning and the president was a few minutes away from where they were, and the president didn’t even turn up. What does that signify? It is high time we begin to make serious demands on the president.”

She added that it is the responsibility of the government to protect citizens, adding that it is part of the president’s job description.

“It is not in our place to give the way forward. His salaries are being paid for it; his needs are being taken care of. He was voted to give the way forward,” Yesufu said.

“This is such a sad moment, especially with the fact that our government has not learnt anything in spite of almost seven years of advocacy that we’ve been calling on the government to do the right thing, and to do the needful to ensure that the citizens are protected.”