ABUJA, Nigeria – The Presidency has clarified the reasons behind President Bola Tinubu’s decision to meet with victims of the recent Plateau State attacks at the Yakubu Gowon Airport rather than visiting the affected communities directly. The adjustment was reportedly due to a combination of scheduling overlaps and significant aviation logistical constraints.
According to a press statement issued on Friday by the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, and made available to Okay News, the President’s itinerary was heavily compressed. Tinubu had to suspend a scheduled trip to Ogun State to accommodate the emergency Jos visit, but could not postpone a crucial, extended bilateral security meeting with Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno in Abuja. This extended meeting significantly delayed his departure for Plateau State.
Upon arriving in Jos, the presidential delegation faced strict logistical hurdles. The statement detailed that the airport runway lacks the navigational aids required to support night flights. Given the approximately 40-minute drive between the airport and Jos township, it became unfeasible for the President to travel into town, conduct an on-the-spot assessment, and return before dusk. Consequently, state and federal officials arranged for representatives of the affected communities to be brought to an adjoining hall at the airport for a prompt meeting.
The Presidency emphasized that despite the change in venue, the visit remained a strategic, high-level engagement rather than a merely symbolic one. Before the President’s arrival, a high-level team—including the Minister of Defence, the Chief of Army Staff, and the Inspector General of Police—had already visited Rukuba, the epicenter of the conflict, to undertake critical groundwork.
During the televised airport meeting, President Tinubu consoled the victims, listened to local leaders, and reiterated his promise to deploy 5,000 AI-enabled security cameras across the city. He also formally invited community leaders to Abuja for further talks aimed at finding a lasting solution to the crisis, driving home the message that sustainable peace must be built directly with the people.
