Days after suspected herdsmen massacred more than 200 residents in Yelewata and Daudu communities in Benue State, President Bola Tinubu arrived in the grieving state on Wednesday to banners and billboards thanking him for the condolence visit .
Mr Tinubu on Sunday announced his decision to visit Benue State—-more than 24 hours after suspected killer herders besieged the Yelewata community burning farmers and their families alive in an overnight attack.
In the hours leading to his arrival, Makurdi, the state capital, was flooded with posters reading, “Mr President, thank you for your condolence with Benue people,” many of them branded with the broom insignia of the ruling All Progressives Congress. Other banners declared support for his second-term with inscriptions such as “4 + 4 = 8.”
“In Tinubu we trust, In Alia we’ll continue,” stated another banner to show approval for Governor Hyacinth Alia’s second term bid.
Mr Alia’s administration earlier this week released a memo instructing the mourning residents to troop out massively and in colourful attire to give the president a “rousing welcome” to the chagrin of citizens who accused the governor of prioritising sycophancy over empathy.
Children of grieving residents, primarily minors wearing school uniforms, lined up the streets and braved torrential rainfall to wave and chant welcome songs to the president.
The videos of schoolchildren standing under the rain to wave at Mr Tinubu’s convoy incensed netizens who accused Mr Alia of being a sycophant insensitive to the plight of his own people.
Presidential spokesperson Sunday Dare also heaped blame on the governor, noting that the tragedy could have been averted had Mr Alia acted on a security report prepared and submitted by a league of retired military generals nearly two years ago.
He said, “The security recommendations in the document would have averted the violent clashes between herders and farmers.’’
