Benue Gov Under Fire For Making Students Welcome Tinubu Under Rain

Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has come under fire for lining up students under bad weather to welcome President Bola Tinubu despite declaring a public holiday for the president’s visit.

A viral video shared by @NewsCentralTV shows young schoolchildren standing patiently under the rain, waiting to welcome Tinubu during his visit to Benue State.

Recall that the Benue State Government declared June 18 a public holiday in honour of the president’s visit to commiserate with the government and people over incessant security crises.

However, essential service workers, including health personnel, security agencies, and banks, are exempt from the holiday.

The government had urged residents to turn out in large numbers to receive the President and his entourage.

The president’s visit follows public outcry over his initial silence after a string of violent attacks that left over 200 dead in communities across Benue.

The government’s decision to line up students to welcome the president despite the bad weather had sparked outrage, with many questioning the necessity of such an exercise.

Commenting on X, One ofTheRareOnes@YadooAdz, said: “It’s been raining all morning here in Makurdi, and these heartless and wicked people are keeping other people’s children under the rain waiting for Tinubu’s motorcade to pass. It is so sad to watch,” he posted.

Another X user, Doonen@Krysrtal_lus said, “Under the rain and in the sun indeed. Parents well done. These children have been in the rain since morning waiting.”