A northern Islamic cleric has sparked strong reactions after appearing in a widely shared video where he questioned why some Northerners continue to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration despite the growing number of deaths and insecurity across the region.
The message accompanying the video says that any Northerner still supporting President Tinubu’s government is no different from an animal.
It also points to how Southerners went to the President, looked him in the eye and told him the are not happy. Imagine how many deaths in the North but Northern leaders are nowhere to be found
The message then asks people to imagine how many people have been killed across the North while northern leaders remain nowhere to be found.
The cleric’s name was not given in the public reports seen alongside the video.
The video carries an Islamic logo and has attracted major attention online. It has received thousands of likes, nearly 2,000 reposts and more than 100,000 views.
The reaction from viewers shows deep frustration over the security situation in northern communities.
Some people talked about villages that have been emptied by bandits, while others mentioned women who have been attacked and farmers and fishermen who have been forced to pay heavy sums of money just to carry out their daily work.
Some commenters also recalled how the same northern voices once strongly supported the Muslim Muslim ticket during the 2023 election but are now complaining about the situation under the Tinubu administration.
Others questioned why northern elders did not face former leaders in the same way when insecurity and other problems were affecting people in the region.
A few commenters also pointed out that Catholic bishops from the North joined groups that met with President Tinubu.
The video has added to the growing anger over insecurity, which has continued to hit northern communities hard.
Many people are now asking why southern groups appear more willing to speak directly to the president about their concerns while many northern traditional and political figures remain quiet and out of sight.
The strong words from the cleric have therefore kept the debate alive over loyalty, leadership and who is truly willing to speak for the people of the North.
The reaction also reflects the frustration of people who want their leaders to speak openly about the killings, attacks and hardship affecting communities across the region.
For those reacting to the video, the question remains why so many northern leaders have remained silent despite the suffering of the people they are expected to represent.
