The Presidency has addressed criticisms surrounding President Bola Tinubu’s recent visit to Plateau State, clarifying that flight restrictions and urgent security meetings necessitated the decision to meet victims at Yakubu Gowon Airport rather than visiting the affected communities in person.
The official response comes after a wave of public scrutiny followed the President’s Friday visit. Critics, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, characterized the meeting—held in a hall adjacent to the airport—as “insensitive” and “brief.”
A Race Against the Sunset
In a statement released Friday by Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the administration cited the technical limitations of the Yakubu Gowon Airport runway as the primary hurdle. According to the Presidency, the airport lacks the necessary navigational aids to support night flights.
“The road distance from the airport to Jos township is approximately 40 minutes,” Onanuga explained. “Given the constraints, it was unfeasible to drive into town for an on-the-spot assessment and return to the airport before dusk.”
Officials determined that bringing community representatives to the airport was the only viable way to ensure the President could personally offer condolences while adhering to strict aviation safety protocols.
Diplomatic Delays
The Presidency also shed light on the timing of the visit. President Tinubu’s departure was reportedly delayed by a high-level security meeting at the Presidential Villa with Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno. The bilateral talks, focused on regional counter-terrorism efforts, ran longer than anticipated.
Prior to the Plateau trip, the President had been scheduled to travel to Iperu, Ogun State. However, following a briefing from Governor Caleb Mutfwang regarding the Palm Sunday attack in the Angwan Rukuba district—which claimed 28 lives—Tinubu opted to prioritize the Jos visit.
Concrete Actions Amidst Grief
Despite the non-traditional venue, the Presidency maintained that the engagement was “strategic” rather than “symbolic.” During the meeting, a visibly moved President Tinubu addressed Mrs. Rhoda, a grieving mother whose viral video became the face of the tragedy.
“I know the pain,” the President said. “It is only God who can give you joy and hope. No amount of money can pay all of you back.”
Beyond words of comfort, the President announced several immediate measures:
1.Technological Surveillance: The deployment of 5,000 AI-enabled cameras across Plateau State to monitor flashpoints.
2.Security Reinforcement: The Nigerian Army has deployed 850 additional troops under “Operation Enduring Peace.”
3.Compensation: The formation of a committee to assess property losses and provide financial relief to survivors.
Political Backlash
The explanation has not silenced all critics. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, speaking through his aide Phrank Shaibu, slammed the visit as a “brief stop at the foot of his aircraft,” suggesting the President was in a hurry to begin his Easter break in Lagos.
In response, Onanuga dismissed the “naysayers,” insisting that the presence of the Minister of Defence, the Chief of Army Staff, and the Inspector-General of Police at the scene demonstrated the administration’s serious commitment to ending the cycle of violence in the Middle Belt.
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