The Presidency has explained why President Bola Tinubu met victims of the recent Jos attack at the airport rather than visiting affected communities directly.
In a statement on Friday, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the decision was due to logistical and security constraints, particularly limitations at the Jos airport.
According to him, the President had initially planned to visit Ogun State after receiving the President of Chad, Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno, but altered his itinerary following a briefing by Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang.
“After Governor Caleb Mutfwang’s briefing, President Tinubu suspended the trip to Ogun. Overnight, the Presidential Villa made arrangements for the visit to Jos, with presidential assets quickly deployed,” the statement said.
Onanuga explained that the bilateral meeting with the Chadian leader, focused on strengthening security cooperation, delayed the President’s departure.
“The meeting ran longer than expected, affecting President Tinubu’s scheduled departure for Jos,” he stated.
He added that upon arrival in Jos, operational constraints made it difficult for the President to travel into the city and return before nightfall.
“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,” he said.
“The constraints made it unfeasible to drive into town, meet victims for on-the-spot assessment and return to the airport before dusk.”
As a result, government officials arranged for victims and community representatives to meet the President at a hall near the airport.
“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,” Onanuga explained.
He noted that top security officials, including the Chief of Army Staff and the Inspector General of Police, had earlier visited the epicentre of the attack in Rukuba.
Onanuga said the President’s visit was aimed at engaging stakeholders and finding lasting solutions to the recurring violence in Plateau State.
“President Tinubu’s visit to Jos was not merely symbolic. It was a strategic, high-level engagement aimed at bringing all stakeholders together to address the root causes of conflict and insecurity in the state,” he said.
He added that the President interacted with victims and reassured them of the Federal Government’s commitment to justice and peace.
“He also listened to local leaders and assured them that the federal government would deliver justice and end the cycle of violence,” the statement said.
The Presidency further disclosed that Tinubu promised the deployment of “5,000 AI-enabled cameras to monitor the city and enhance the identification and arrest of troublemakers.”
Onanuga said the President also invited community leaders to Abuja for further discussions on resolving the crisis.
He maintained that the visit achieved its objective despite criticisms, adding that the President sent a clear message that “sustainable peace must be built with the people, not imposed on them.”
