Nigerian Afrobeats star Davido has responded to criticism from Kano-based singer Dauda Kahutu Rarara over his decision to spotlight Nigeria’s kidnapping crisis during activities surrounding the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Gatekeepers News reports that the controversy began after Rarara accused the award-winning musician of drawing unnecessary international attention to the country’s security challenges by wearing an outfit bearing the names of kidnapped victims during World Cup ceremonies.
Rarara described Davido’s action as inappropriate and potentially harmful to ongoing efforts to secure the release of abducted persons.
“What Davido exhibited was crude behaviour. How can you go and expose Nigeria’s secrets to the world? Why will he give publicity to insurgents?” Rarara said.
“The insurgents kidnapped these students to force the security operatives to release their people, and our government is insisting on not releasing them while trying to free the children. At this critical stage, he went to expose our security issue globally during the World Cup.”
The singer further alleged that Davido’s action was politically motivated, linking it to partisan interests in Osun State.
“Just because his uncle is vying for re-election in an opposition party and Tinubu is in the APC, he printed the names of the kidnapped students and went to showcase them in America,” he claimed.
Rarara argued that amplifying such issues on global platforms could embolden criminal groups and complicate efforts to secure the release of victims.
“What he did was akin to derobing one’s mother and taking a picture and publicly announcing it in the marketplace. When you have a huge following on social media and give publicity to insurgents, it only makes things worse,” he said.
Drawing from personal experience, Rarara recounted the kidnapping of his mother, claiming that public interventions prolonged negotiations for her release.
“I am a living witness because when my mother was kidnapped, it remained only a few days for her release to be secured when Atiku Abubakar publicly called for her release. Because of that, it took several more days before she was released. So his public statement led to more harm than good,” he added.
Responding to the allegations, Davido rejected Rarara’s position, arguing that patriotism requires citizens to speak out against insecurity rather than remain silent.
“First of all, anyone who truly loves Nigeria will not keep silent about the insecurity plaguing the country, nor will they prevent others from expressing their concerns about it,” Davido wrote.
The singer also criticised what he described as the prioritisation of political interests over the welfare of citizens.
“A lack of compassion, putting personal interests first, becoming a political stooge, and prioritising self-interest above the welfare of the people are not things to be proud of. Be patriotic, stop placing politics above the truth, and fear God in everything you do, @kahuturarara,” he said.
The exchange has triggered wider public debate over the role of celebrities in addressing social and national issues. While many have praised Davido for using his global platform to raise awareness about insecurity and demand accountability, critics maintain that international attention could sometimes complicate sensitive security operations and negotiations.
