Aisha Yesufu Slams National Assembly, Says Lawmakers Have Failed Nigerians as Violence and Abductions Rise

 

Human rights activist and co-convener of the #BringBackOurGirls movement, Aisha Yesufu, has publicly criticised Nigeria’s National Assembly for what she described as its continued silence and failure to rise to its constitutional responsibilities amid the deepening insecurity crisis across the country.

In an open letter addressed to the federal lawmakers on Monday, December 1, 2025, Yesufu accused the legislators of abandoning the Nigerian people at a time they need the most protection and representation.

In the letter titled “Open Letter to the National Assembly,” Yesufu underscored the pivotal role of the legislature in any functional democracy, noting that the institution remains “the bedrock of democracy” and the clearest indicator that democratic governance is truly entrenched.

She stressed that beyond its lawmaking duties, the National Assembly also has critical oversight responsibilities, including confirming appointments, ratifying treaties, and, most importantly, holding the executive accountable.

According to her, these responsibilities form the backbone of democratic practice, as lawmakers are meant to represent the voice of the people and act as advocates for citizens who depend on them for protection and accountability.

She lamented that the National Assembly has failed to live up to this expectation.

“Every member of the National Assembly was voted by the people to be a voice backed by constitutional authority,” Yesufu wrote. “A voice that will speak up when the people are in dire need.”

She noted that legislators enjoy constitutional privileges that protect their freedom of speech within the chambers, which should enable them to speak boldly and without fear on behalf of their constituents.

However, she said that in her assessment, lawmakers have not used these privileges in the interest of the suffering populace.

Yesufu expressed concern that Nigerians are experiencing unprecedented levels of insecurity, stating that citizens are being “hunted like animals” across the country.

She highlighted reports of abductions, killings, and violent attacks in places where citizens should feel safest, places of worship, schools, farms, markets, highways, and even within their homes.

“Nowhere is safe in Nigeria, and no one is safe in Nigeria,” she declared, adding that despite this grim reality, the National Assembly has not deemed it necessary to raise a unified voice or take decisive action to defend the people who elected them.

Instead, she accused lawmakers of aligning themselves with the executive arm of government, defending the very authorities they are constitutionally mandated to scrutinize.

This, she argued, has contributed to Nigeria’s “descent into chaos.”

Yesufu described her emotions as a mix of “dismay and disappointment,” insisting that the lawmakers have reduced themselves to a “rubber stamp assembly” rather than an independent institution capable of checking abuses of power.

“Every member of the National Assembly should bow his or her head in shame,” she wrote. “For you all have collectively failed the people of Nigeria.”

She accused the legislature of neglecting its core duties of promoting the welfare and security of citizens, stating that the institution has instead become preoccupied with trivial matters and “fancy dinners,” an attitude she said amounts to mocking the suffering of ordinary Nigerians.

To address the worsening security crisis, Yesufu outlined a set of urgent actions she believes the National Assembly must take.

These measures, according to her, include convening an emergency session to discuss the state of insecurity nationwide; conducting investigations into the root causes of insecurity and the failures of security agencies; and holding the executive accountable for its inability to safeguard the lives and property of citizens.

She further called for the passage of legislation aimed at strengthening the capacity of security institutions and tackling the underlying drivers of violence across the country.