Northern groups disown youths destroying Tinubu’s billboards
Some northern groups have distanced themselves from the recent destruction of President Bola Tinubu’s billboards by some youths in parts of the region.
While disowning the perpetrators and their alleged sponsors, the groups condemned the actions as unnecessary and politically motivated.
Many videos showing unidentified youths destroying the president’s billboards in different states have recently gained traction on the social media.
In one of the clips seen, a group of youths in Kaduna was seen destroying a billboard bearing the president’s image and welcome message for his visit to commission the Institute of Skill Acquisition and Development at Riga Chukun, Igabi Local Government Area of the state, last Thursday.
Between Wednesday and Friday, another video showing youths in Nasarawa State pulling down a billboard mounted to welcome the president for another project commissioning also surfaced online.
The incidents have triggered sharp debate across social media.
While some Nigerians condemned the acts as senseless and possibly sponsored by opposition elements, others described them as signs of deepening frustration and unmet expectations in the region.
Speaking with Saturday PUNCH, the President of the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, Yerima Shettima, said his group and its members were not involved in the billboards destruction and did not support such actions.
“We are not part of it, and we never supported it. President Tinubu has performed very well in the last two years. He has done better, compared to the eight years of Buhari’s government,” Shettima said.
He noted that it was not unusual for individuals who felt sidelined by the current administration to instigate unrest through sponsored youth groups.
“Some people, out of frustration and grudges because the government has not favoured them, are naturally bound to sponsor faceless groups across the North to stage one protest or another. But the President is doing well, and we are here to support him to do even better,” Shettima added.
Similarly, the President of the Northern Youth Council of Nigeria, Isah Abubakar, said while his group was not involved in the billboard destruction, the action reflected the growing frustration among youths over some policies of the current administration, which he urged the government to address.
“I have seen the videos online as well. They are not old videos, but our members are not involved in such acts. We believe the actions are simply a sign of public rejection, a clear message that many are no longer interested in Tinubu’s governance and that he needs to step up his game,” Abubakar said.
He dismissed claims that the incidents were being orchestrated by opposition elements, emphasising that it was purely a show of public discontent.
“No one is behind those actions. If people are unhappy with you, they will definitely react. Must someone be behind every expression of dissatisfaction? It’s simply members of the public displeased with the president’s leadership, and felt the need to express that they are no longer interested in his administration. But he still has the opportunity to turn things around.”
