By Kingston Magare 3.4.2026
President Bola Tinubu on Thursday failed to visit scenes and victims of the recent terror attacks in Jos north Plateau State. He stopped at the airport and received representatives of the affected communities.
This followed a similar pattern when he visited Benue State during the Agatu massacre in June 2025, he did not visit the communities but received chiefs of the affected communities at the Benue State government house.
According to information and strategy adviser, Bayo Onanuga, the President stopped at the airport because of time factor: “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.”
Meanwhile 2027 presidential aspirant Peter Obi described the move as failure of leadership and lack of empathy for victims of terror attacks.
“What happened in Plateau on Thursday highlights a complete absence of leadership. True leadership requires presence, empathy, compassion, and a willingness to meet people where their pain truly lies,” Obi said in a statement.
“For citizens who have just lost loved ones, homes, and their sense of safety, being addressed from an airport tarmac is profoundly inadequate,” he added. “This approach exacerbates the sense of abandonment already felt by innocent Nigerians who have endured repeated cycles of violence without meaningful protection or justice.”