Tinubu Meets Plateau Victims at Airport: Presidency Explains Why

Tinubu meets Plateau victims at the Jos airport on Thursday evening — and what was meant to be a solemn moment of condolence has now become one of the most talked-about political flashpoints in Nigeria this week. The Presidency has now broken its silence on why President Bola Ahmed Tinubu addressed families of the victims of the recent deadly Plateau State attack at the airport rather than at the scene of the tragedy itself. (Channels Television)

Late last week, gunmen struck the Angwan Rukuba district of Jos North Local Government Area, leaving at least 28 people dead and many others injured — a brutal attack that shocked communities and drew widespread calls for swift government action. (Channels Television)

Instead of driving into Jos town to meet victims at the scene or in hospital, Tinubu’s team arranged for representatives of the affected families and local stakeholders to be brought to a hall beside Yakubu Gowon Airport in Jos. There, the President offered condolences, listened to grieving relatives, and promised the federal government would step up efforts to prevent future attacks. (Western Post)

According to the Presidency, a combination of logistical constraints and scheduling conflicts forced this decision. Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga explained that Tinubu had been tied up in Abuja with a bilateral meeting with the President of Chad, Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno — a high-level engagement focused on regional security cooperation — which ran longer than planned and delayed the President’s departure for Plateau. (Channels Television)

Once in Jos, the Presidency said, there were aviation and safety limitations: the airport runway lacks the necessary navigational aids to support night flights, making it unsafe for the presidential aircraft to operate beyond daylight. This made it impractical for Tinubu to travel into town, meet victims on the ground, and return before dusk. To ensure the President could still meet affected families within operational limits, officials brought representatives to the airport hall so the meeting could proceed promptly. (Western Post)

At the airport gathering, Tinubu acknowledged the pain of the victims, notably consoling a woman who was seen in a viral video holding her deceased son. “Only God can give you joy and comfort. No amount of money can compensate for your loss,” he said, adding that the government would do its best to support and comfort families. (Channels Television)

The Presidency also used the occasion to outline security commitments, including plans to deploy at least 5,000 surveillance cameras across key areas to improve monitoring and help security forces identify and apprehend perpetrators. (Channels Television)

Despite the official explanation, the visit has sparked intense public debate. Critics, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, described the airport meeting as inadequate and detached from the realities faced by victims, arguing that it lacked the empathy expected of a leader in such moments. (Naija News)

On social media, many Nigerians echoed this sentiment, with some calling the event a “political spectacle” and questioning why the President did not visit the actual site of the tragedy or directly engage with victims in their communities. Others highlighted the logistical challenges and the importance of Tinubu’s broader security agenda as mitigating factors. (Reddit)

Supporters of the Presidency maintain that the airport meeting was not merely symbolic, but a strategic attempt to balance security realities with the urgent need for leadership presence — a delicate dance in a nation grappling with recurring violence and infrastructural limitations. (Thisdaylive)

As the conversation continues online and offline, what remains clear is that the tragedy in Plateau State and the government’s response have once again thrust Nigeria’s security challenges into the national spotlight — and underscored the deep emotions tied to leadership accountability in times of crisis.