Makurdi Gets Overnight Makeover Ahead of Tinubu's Visit After Deadly Attack That Claimed Over 200 Lives

byNaijaRush Published:

 


In what many are calling a dramatic overnight transformation, workers were spotted across major roads in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, on the evening of Tuesday, June 17, 2025, frantically clearing bushes and cutting grass as the state prepared to welcome Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu. This rapid clean-up effort was not just for aesthetics — it was part of a larger, highly coordinated plan to receive the President after one of the most tragic incidents in the state's recent history.

Just days before this flurry of activity, Benue State was once again plunged into mourning. Between the night of June 13 and the early hours of June 14, more than 200 people were killed in Makurdi and surrounding communities in yet another brutal attack carried out by suspected armed herdsmen. The massacre sent shockwaves across Nigeria, triggering widespread condemnation and calls for urgent action from the federal government.

Reacting to the tragedy, President Bola Tinubu announced that he would personally visit Benue State on June 18. The announcement came after growing pressure from civil society, opposition leaders, and concerned citizens who demanded that the President show leadership and empathy by visiting the grieving communities.

Benue Government Declares Public Holiday, Plans Grand Welcome

To prepare for President Tinubu’s arrival, the Benue State Government declared June 18 a public holiday, urging residents to come out in large numbers and join what was described as a “shoulder-to-shoulder procession.” According to an official statement, the colourful procession would begin from the airport and stretch through the Wurukum roundabout, ending at the Government House in Makurdi.

This call for support groups to line up the streets and welcome the President has, however, sparked mixed reactions across the state and beyond. While some citizens view it as a standard protocol for receiving a visiting Head of State, others have described it as a misplaced priority, especially at a time when hundreds of families are still counting their dead, searching for missing loved ones, and dealing with deep emotional trauma.

Last-Minute Makeover Sparks Criticism

One of the most striking aspects of the preparations was the sudden overnight clean-up operation. Residents reported seeing large numbers of workmen, trucks, and mowing equipment clearing grass along the roads leading from the airport. The operation was clearly organized in haste, with workers laboring late into the evening of June 17 — just hours before the President’s expected arrival.

This “makeover” has now become a hot topic among Makurdi residents and on social media, with many questioning the timing and priorities of the state government.

“So it takes the President's visit for our roadsides to be cleared?” one user wrote on Twitter. “Why didn’t they do this for the families of the people that died?”

Another Makurdi resident told NaijaRush:

“They are cutting grass and washing the streets to welcome the President. But what about the blood that was spilled just days ago? What about the families sleeping outside because their homes were burnt?”

The Pain of a People Forgotten

The attack in Makurdi is one of the deadliest in recent times and adds to a long list of violent incidents linked to herdsmen in Benue and across Nigeria’s Middle Belt region. Survivors and victims' families have continued to cry out for justice, security, and attention. But instead of seeing armored patrols or relief materials, many say they are seeing brooms and weed cutters.

For them, the focus on beautifying Makurdi — rather than addressing the root causes of the violence — feels like a slap in the face.

A community leader in one of the affected areas, who asked not to be named, told NaijaRush:

“What we need is not a public holiday. What we need is protection. The same road they are cleaning now, blood was flowing on it just days ago. Are we supposed to forget all that and start dancing because the President is coming?”

The Politics of Image and Reality

President Tinubu's visit is highly symbolic. It is meant to show that the federal government is not turning a blind eye to the killings in Benue. However, the optics of preparing for his visit — the rushed clean-ups, the public holiday, and the mobilization of supporters — have left many questioning whether the visit is about sympathy for the victims or just a political performance.

Analysts believe that both the state and federal governments are now in a delicate position. On one hand, they must honor the victims and show empathy; on the other, they are trying to manage public perception and political support.

A political commentator from the University of Agriculture in Makurdi said:

“The President’s visit could help reassure people that something will be done. But if all we see is decoration and no substance, people will feel even more abandoned.”

Residents React: Grief or Celebration?

Even among ordinary citizens, opinions are deeply divided. Some support the preparations, arguing that it’s important to welcome the President in a dignified manner, no matter the circumstance.

“I lost someone in the attack, but I still believe the President should be welcomed respectfully,” said a young man whose cousin was among those killed. “Maybe if he sees how serious the situation is, he will act.”

Others, however, say it’s wrong to organize a celebration-like atmosphere when there’s so much pain in the air.

“This is not the time for a carnival,” said a female trader at Wurukum. “Our brothers and sisters were buried just yesterday. How can we be asked to go out and dance for the President today?”


Conclusion: Between Grief and Government Protocol

As Makurdi prepared for President Tinubu’s visit, the contrast between freshly cut grass and unhealed wounds couldn’t be more striking. For many, the clean streets do not erase the memory of bloodshed. And while the President’s visit may offer a glimmer of hope, the real test lies in what follows — Will there be concrete action, or will it all end with handshakes and photo-ops?

As one Makurdi resident summed it up on social media:

“Clean the roads, yes. Welcome the President, fine. But please, also clean the tears of the widows, the orphans, and those whose lives were shattered. That is the real work.”










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