Natasha: One day you’ll beg for protest support – Aisha Yesufu blasts Police
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By Henry Umoru
ABUJA — Human rights activist and co-convener of the #BringBackOurGirls movement, Aisha Yesufu, has strongly criticized operatives of the Nigerian Police Force stationed at the National Assembly for blocking protesters and denying entry to citizens and even lawmakers.
Speaking passionately during a confrontation at the National Assembly complex, Yesufu condemned what she described as the unconstitutional actions of the police, reminding them that they too could one day need the solidarity of the same citizens they were repressing.
“One day you will be on the streets, as a retired person, begging the same people you oppressed to protest on your behalf.”
Yesufu, visibly angered by the obstruction, challenged the officers to reflect on their roles and the state of the country, asking them:
“At this age, is this what you want to be doing? Is this the Nigeria you want for your children? You’re destroying the future of your own children,” she declared.
The activist was part of a group that had accompanied Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who attempted to gain access to the National Assembly following her controversial six-month suspension by the Senate on March 6, 2025.
Yesufu accused the police of lacking the courage to disclose who ordered them to block access to the complex, saying:
“We respect the law, but that does not mean we are cowards. This is the National Assembly—it belongs to all Nigerians. You are blocking people and can’t even say who sent you. Are you proud of that?”
She further slammed the police as “a shameless willing tool of oppression,” referencing a recent protest in support of police welfare that was ironically dispersed by police officers themselves.
The confrontation comes against the backdrop of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension, which was imposed following her sexual harassment allegation against Senate President Godswill Akpabio. The Senate Ethics Committee recommended her suspension, which included withdrawal of salary, security details, and legislative access. Her aides also reportedly stopped receiving their salaries, and her office was sealed.
Akpoti-Uduaghan’s troubles began after she protested the removal of her nameplate and reassignment of her Senate seat—an action she decried as an attempt to silence her.
Despite public outcry and solidarity from activists and civil society groups, the Senate ruled that her suspension would only be reconsidered after six months or upon her issuing a formal apology—an option she has yet to take.
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