By Newspot Nigeria News Desk
Bauchi, Nigeria – A storm of criticism has erupted following the release of photos showing Abdulhamid Yahaya Abba, the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on Community Engagement for the North East, distributing water to residents of Bauchi Local Government Area from a tanker. While the act was intended as a humanitarian gesture, many Nigerians have interpreted it as a symbol of failed leadership and misplaced priorities.
In the viral images, residents were seen lining up with plastic buckets to fetch water from the tanker. A large banner bearing the SSA’s name and office was prominently displayed on the scene, further aggravating public outrage.
“This is a shocking display of poverty weaponization,” one citizen said in reaction to the event. “Why spend money on banners and T-shirts when a single borehole would provide lasting clean water?”
Another said, “You mean a whole SSA to the President couldn’t sponsor a borehole? Instead, we are now clapping for someone handing out water from a rickety truck. What a joke.”
“This is not empowerment; it’s renewed comedy,” someone else said, mocking the federal administration’s “Renewed Hope” agenda. “They should’ve added red carpet and sound system to make it a complete circus.”
Others contrasted the action with those of opposition politicians. “When Peter Obi built boreholes in northern villages, some people mocked him. Now look—these same critics are praising water tanker distribution like it’s a major achievement,” said one commenter.
Though a few defended the effort, calling it “better than nothing,” the overwhelming response was disapproval. Many questioned the logic of treating water scarcity—a chronic issue in Bauchi—with short-term measures. “This isn’t community engagement—it’s an insult dressed up as charity,” said a frustrated resident.
The event has also reignited conversations about the role of presidential aides, with calls for them to focus more on policy impact than symbolic handouts.
Newspot Nigeria will continue monitoring developments on this issue and bring you more voices from the ground in Bauchi and beyond.
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