President Bola Tinubu has rescheduled his planned visit to Kaduna State and will instead travel to Benue State on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, after mounting criticism over his silence and leadership style following the recent deadly attack in the Yelewata community in Benue State.
The President’s decision comes after intense backlash from Nigerians, political opponents, and civil society groups who condemned his delayed response to the killings, which left scores of residents dead last Friday. Notable among the critics were opposition leaders Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, who accused Tinubu of neglecting the crisis in Benue.
Addressing the public on Monday during the inauguration of the Greater Abuja Water Supply Network, Tinubu said, “I will adjust my programme and go see Benue people on Wednesday.”
In a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the presidency said Tinubu’s visit to Benue aims to “assess firsthand the recurring crisis that has claimed numerous lives and caused significant destruction.”
Already, the President has dispatched top government and security officials, including the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Inspector General of Police, the National Security Adviser, and heads of intelligence agencies, to the state ahead of his visit. Leaders of the National Assembly’s Defence Committees have also been deployed.
During his visit, Tinubu is expected to hold critical meetings with traditional rulers, political leaders, religious figures, and youth groups. The latest attack in Yelewata has once again drawn national and international attention to the insecurity plaguing Nigeria.
