Video Of Rented Kaduna Crowd Welcoming Tinubu Stirs Controversy

Controversy has emerged over a video alleging that President Bola Tinubu’s visit to Kaduna was graced by a rented crowd paid ₦1,500 to show support. While there is no evidence to this some think that it may be a claim by political opponents to discomfort the president’s political trajectory.

A video that surfaced online following President Bola Tinubu’s visit to Kaduna has stirred controversy, with claims that the crowd that welcomed him was staged and not made up of actual Kaduna residents. However, some also think that the narrator in the viral video may have been inspired by political opponents of President Tinubu into making the rented crowd video of the Kaduna visit.

Posted on X by user @Ahmedumar_, the video came with the caption: “The truth behind the crowd in Kaduna! A circulating video exposes how the Kaduna State Government rented villagers paid just ₦1,500 each and transported in buses to stage a fake crowd welcoming Tinubu. These are not Kaduna residents. It’s all APC propaganda and deception. Real Kaduna people did not welcome him.”

The footage shows people in branded clothing, waving banners in support of the president. A voice in the background of the video narrates what he claimed to have witnessed:
“They are all villagers given ₦1,500 each to stage a crowd in support of the Asiwaju (President Tinubu). They are not Kaduna dwellers, they are from the village. Look, these are the vehicles that transported them from the village. We don’t have hands in this.”

The commentator further stated:
“Hunger is just tried in this country. Look at females paid ₦500 to put on costumes with Bola Tinubu’s image and raising banners as a sign of support for his coming to Kaduna. Everyone should fight for himself in this country because trouble just began in this country. These are people who hardly feed, but here we are. This is Kaduna, but they are not people of Kaduna, they are villagers, not Kaduna people.”

The video quickly went viral and sparked a flood of reactions across social media, with users divided over the authenticity of the claims and what it represents politically.

@Kakanfo_ wrote: “So if they can pay them to line up according to you, don’t you think they can pay them to vote too?”

@NoorCars commented: “Hmm Allah ya kyauta.”

@activistmanny added: “Wike was right after all! Keep them poor and give them ₦1,500 and they’ll do anything! Arewa must fight poverty!”

@BukarDeedat shared a different view: “Sometimes if I see some post on social media laugh go wan kill me. No any president that they have not said this to and they always win their second tenure. The matter of the truth is that Nigerians have never liked a ruling party because always there must be an opposition.”

Another user, @BBencarson, argued that this is nothing new: “Staging of crowds been happening before this regime now… Bubu no stage crowd?? How do you recognise real and fake Kaduna people??? We gather vote this man abi you no vote?”

User @a_adeyem1 attempted to offer context: “This is how it is in all political gathering in Nigeria. It is always a mix of party members who are mobilized from LG to ward level with those who voluntarily participate in the event. Na you go feed them wey you no go mobilize them? Or na your papa go pay their bills the next day?”

@feezoh10 mockingly wrote: “You could see it, all of them are hungry. Dem no fit shout, just walking hungrily.”

A first-hand observer, @m___mohaa, claimed: “I’m a living witness, was out around 7am and I saw how those villagers were brought into town as early as then, wearing their uniforms. It’s not a surprise sha, when you have a set of clueless people as leaders, something like this or worse happens!”

Meanwhile, others like @Nelkonniyi and @SlimjinTims insisted this has always been the norm in Nigerian politics, arguing that it’s not specific to the current administration.

Despite the online buzz, no official response has been issued by the Kaduna State Government or the Presidency regarding the authenticity of the video or the claims of crowd staging. However, the footage and reactions continue to gain traction, further fueling debate around political mobilization, poverty, and public trust in leadership.

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