The Presidency has defended President Bola Tinubu’s decision to meet victims of the Plateau State killings at a hall adjoining the Yakubu Gowon Airport rather than driving into Jos township, citing flight restrictions and logistical constraints.
In a statement on Friday, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the runway at the airport does not support night flights due to the absence of navigational aids, making it impossible for Tinubu to visit Rukuba, drive back to the airport, and depart before dusk.
“Upon arrival in Jos, the visit encountered some logistical challenges. While the road distance from the airport to Jos township is approximately 40 minutes, the runway does not support night flights due to the absence of navigational aids. The constraints made it unfeasible to drive into town, meet victims for on-the-spot assessment and return to the airport before dusk,” Onanuga said.
“Consequently, state and federal officials decided to bring representatives of the affected community to a hall adjoining the airport so the President could meet with them promptly while adhering to flight restrictions.”
The visit came days after gunmen attacked the Angwan Rukuba district of Jos North Local Government Area on Palm Sunday, killing at least 28 people.
The Presidency also explained the delay in Tinubu’s departure for Jos, saying his itinerary for Thursday had included receiving Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno at the Presidential Villa for a bilateral meeting on security cooperation. The meeting ran longer than expected, pushing back his scheduled departure.
According to the statement, Tinubu had initially planned to travel to Iperu, Ogun State, on Thursday but suspended the trip after Governor Caleb Mutfwang briefed him on the security situation in Plateau.
Despite the airport setting, the Presidency said the visit achieved its objectives, with Tinubu consoling victims and engaging key stakeholders. At the meeting, Tinubu addressed a grieving mother whose video clutching her son’s body had gone viral, saying, “I know the pain. I see in the video how you buried your loved ones and the pain and agony in your heart.”
He also announced the deployment of over 5,000 AI-enabled cameras across Plateau State and directed security chiefs to track down the killers.
However, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar criticised the visit as insensitive, saying in a statement that “it is both shocking and deeply insensitive that several days after the gruesome killings of innocent citizens, the President’s so-called ‘on-the-spot assessment’ was reduced to a brief stop at the foot of his aircraft.”
