On Sunday, September 28, 2025, Punch Newspaper reported that Prof. Usman Yusuf, former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), expressed dissatisfaction with President Bola Tinubu’s leadership and the worsening insecurity in Northern Nigeria.
Yusuf argued that northerners feel marginalized despite playing a decisive role in Tinubu’s electoral victory. He recalled that states such as Katsina gave the president overwhelming support compared to Lagos, his home base. Today, however, he said northerners feel alienated, creating a climate of resentment.
Turning to insecurity, Yusuf warned that daily cases of banditry, kidnappings, and killings are leaving communities in fear. He criticized the government for failing to provide effective solutions, stressing that insecurity remains the greatest burden on the region.
While acknowledging that dialogue with armed groups could be one tool, Yusuf insisted it must not be the main strategy. He maintained that only strong military operations, backed by intelligence, can restore peace to northern communities.
The professor also highlighted the economic damage caused by insecurity. Farmers are increasingly unable to cultivate their fields, traders face mounting losses, and hunger and poverty are worsening across the region. He added that young people are the hardest hit, with unemployment and insecurity eroding their hopes for the future.
Yusuf further cautioned that northern loyalty should not be taken for granted. He reminded Tinubu that the region’s backing in 2023 came at a time when he lacked strong support in Lagos.
“We voted for him when his people did not. Katsina gave him more votes than Lagos. Now he turns his back on us yet wants to seek our support again. We have no reason to vote for him,” he concluded.
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