In response to criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s interactions with victims of the recent tragedy in Plateau State at the airport in Jos, the presidency has stood up for him.
Days after an attack in the state’s Jos North Local Government Area last Sunday claimed the lives of at least 28 persons, Tinubu traveled to the North-Central State on Thursday.
The purpose of the visit was to give the President a chance to speak with the victims of the murder and explain to the locals how he intends to stop similar acts in the future.
But in a statement on Friday, presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, said the visit was affected by a scheduled meeting with the President of Chad.
“The President of Chad was at the Presidential Villa for a very important bilateral meeting focused on strengthening security collaboration between the two countries. The meeting ran longer than expected, affecting President Tinubu’s scheduled departure for Jos,” he wrote.
“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.
“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 statement read.
“President Tinubu’s itinerary for Thursday included two main engagements: receiving the Chadian President, Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno, and proceeding to Iperu, Ogun State. 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. However, the President could not postpone the scheduled visit by the Chadian leader,” he added.
The President had during the visit, offered condolence to the woman who was seen in a viral video holding her dead son after the attack.
“I know your pain; I saw in the video how you held on to your son and felt the agony in your heart.
“Only God can give you joy and comfort. No amount of money can compensate for your loss. As a government, we will do our best to support and comfort you,” he told her.
He also announced that at least 5,000 surveillance cameras would be deployed to improve security.
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