Another wave of tension has escalated from social media posts, notably a viral video on Instagram and X/Twitter condemning the newly erected welcoming posters for Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope Agenda” in Makurdi, which remained up despite the massacre. One X user denounced the move, writing: “Over 200 people d!ed in Benue State, yet the state government is busy printing posters to welcome President Tinubu”.
The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) likewise criticized the “fanfares” and likened the posters’ presence amid grief to “a stunning lack of empathy,” accusing the administration of insensitivity and politicizing a tragedy. They urged that victims be treated as terrorism victims, not subjects of public relations events.
Some Instagram and X users also shared images of youth mobilization memos and videos of schoolchildren under rain, in soaked uniforms lined up to welcome the President, which has further stirred anger and criticism. The display also added to the widespread outrage on social media, with residents and opposition voices branding the welcome as “tone-deaf,” by politicizing grief and ignoring victims’ suffering.
The Naija Lowdown Writer 