Aisha Yesufu Calls for Tinubu’s Impeachment Amid Ongoing Killings in Benue, Criticizes Silence on Tragedy

 

Aisha Yesufu Slams Tinubu Over Benue Killings, Urges Senate to Consider Impeachment

Renowned human rights activist and co-convener of the Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) movement, Aisha Yesufu, has launched a scathing critique of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over his silence on the recurrent bloodshed in Benue State. Her frustration comes on the heels of yet another violent assault on the people of Benue — this time in the Yelewata community — allegedly carried out by armed herdsmen.

Gunshots pierced the air around 10:00 p.m. on Friday night as attackers stormed the Yelewata settlement, leaving death and destruction in their wake. Residents, caught off guard, could do little to protect themselves. By the time the chaos subsided, several lives had been lost and scores of others were left injured, grappling with both physical wounds and the trauma of yet another community left in ruins.

Confirming the incident, the Benue State Police Command described the perpetrators as suspected bandits. According to a police spokesperson, tactical units were promptly dispatched to the scene, where they engaged the gunmen in what was described as a "fierce exchange." Though efforts were made to repel the attackers, the damage had already been done.

Aisha Yesufu, never one to mince words, has taken to social media to condemn the president's silence. In her strongly worded statements on X (formerly Twitter), she not only highlighted Tinubu’s failure to address the carnage in Benue but also contrasted it with his public condolence to India following a devastating plane crash that claimed over 200 lives.

To Yesufu, the disparity is emblematic of misplaced priorities. “Tinubu is sitting down there gloating over the deaths of Nigerians whose mandate he truncated to occupy the office of the C-in-C,” she wrote. “And instead of Tinubu’s impeachment to be the topic of discussion, who is supposed to OWN a political party is the main topic!”

Yesufu’s comments underscore a broader national frustration with what many view as federal negligence toward the escalating insecurity in Nigeria’s Middle Belt. The killings in Benue, often attributed to clashes between herders and farming communities, have continued unabated, despite repeated promises of federal intervention and peacekeeping efforts.

No visit. No presidential statement. No national mourning. These are the silences that Yesufu — and indeed many Nigerians — find deafening.

Many citizens and advocacy groups argue that the president’s constitutional duty to safeguard lives and property is being flouted. For them, the Commander-in-Chief's muted reaction signals a dangerous complacency. Benue, a state governed by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has become a recurring headline for all the wrong reasons, and the lack of a coherent federal response only fuels suspicion and despair.

Yesufu, known for her fearless activism and role in the 2014 global campaign for the return of the Chibok girls, has always pushed the boundaries of public discourse. Her call for impeachment is not just a statement; it's a demand for accountability at the highest level of governance.

To her supporters, this isn't just a political tirade — it's a wake-up call to the Senate and the Nigerian populace. The role of the legislature in checking executive excesses is being put under the microscope, as citizens look to lawmakers to rise above partisanship and confront the glaring failures of the presidency.

This latest appeal comes at a time when Nigerians are increasingly weary of government inaction. For families in Benue, the tragedy is not just a headline — it is a lived reality. Entire communities are being displaced, livelihoods shattered, and the social fabric torn apart with little hope of redress.

Public reaction to Yesufu’s stance has been mixed, with some praising her bravery and others calling for a more measured tone. But the core message remains: Nigerians are dying, and the nation’s leaders appear more reactive to foreign tragedies than to the crises unfolding within their own borders.

If nothing else, Aisha Yesufu’s call reverberates as a challenge to the conscience of the nation. Whether the Senate heeds the call or not, her words have reignited a conversation on leadership, accountability, and the value of Nigerian lives in the eyes of those sworn to protect them.