MAKURDI, Nigeria — A wave of public backlash has erupted online after videos emerged showing schoolchildren standing in the rain to welcome President Bola Tinubu’s convoy during his visit to Benue State on Wednesday, June 18, 2025.
The children, whose faces were blurred for privacy, were seen singing the Nigerian national anthem as the presidential motorcade passed through Makurdi, the state capital.
The videos, widely circulated on social media, were reportedly recorded along a major road, despite the declaration of a public holiday by the state government to mark the president’s arrival.
President Tinubu was in Benue following a deadly attack on Yelewata community in Guma Local Government Area, where more than 200 people were killed by gunmen in what has been described as one of the deadliest incidents in the state in recent months.
According to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the attack has displaced at least 6,527 people in the area.
Tinubu’s visit was aimed at assessing the humanitarian crisis and meeting with affected communities.
However, the images of drenched pupils singing in the rain ignited sharp criticism across Nigeria, with many users on X (formerly Twitter) accusing both federal and state authorities of exposing minors to harm for political optics.
“This is a crime!!!! Is there no one in Benue that can go and get those children? A Bishop; an Imam? Parents? National Human Rights Commission??? What is wrong with us??” wrote ‘Yemi Adamolekun, executive director of Enough is Enough (EiE) Nigeria.
This is a crime!!!!
Is there no one in Benue that can go and get those children?
A Bishop; an Imam?
Parents?
National Human Rights Commission???
What is wrong with us??#BenueLivesMatter https://t.co/hN4AtW5RxA— ‘Yemi (@_yemia) June 18, 2025
Another user, Joseph Anyaa, said, “Nigeria is operating a slavery system of government. I’ve never seen a government this useless.”
Describing the event as “political wickedness,” a user with the handle @Latent condemned the use of schoolchildren in such public displays, especially under unsafe weather conditions.
As of press time, neither the Benue State Government nor the Presidency has issued a statement responding to the videos or the public outrage.
The incident has reignited debate over the treatment of children during official visits and the broader use of schoolchildren in ceremonial events, with activists calling for urgent policy reforms to prevent a recurrence.
