‘I saw your pain’: Tinubu consoles mother from viral Jos video during Plateau visit

During a high-stakes condolence visit to Plateau State, President Bola Tinubu personally addressed a grieving mother from a viral video, promising government support while warning against religious narratives that could further inflame regional tensions.

President Bola Tinubu on Thursday, April 2, 2026, personally consoled a grieving mother whose image became a national symbol of the recent violence in Jos, Plateau State. Addressing the woman by name during a stakeholder meeting at the Yakubu Gowon Airport, the President referenced a viral video that captured her clutching the lifeless body of her son, Ayuba, following the Sunday massacre in the Anguwan Rukuba area. “I know the pain; I saw how, in the video, you held on to your son, Ayuba, and the pain and agony in your heart, but it’s only God who can give you joy and comfort,” Tinubu said. While acknowledging that the loss of at least 27 lives in the district was a profound tragedy, he admitted to the gathered families that “no amount of money can pay all of you back,” but added that “as a government, we will do our best to comfort you.”

The President’s visit comes in the wake of dual security crises, including the Jos killings and a separate, brutal attack in Kahir village, Kaduna State, where wedding guests were reportedly murdered and abducted. Speaking through his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, the President described these incidents as “barbaric and cowardly,” vowing that his administration would ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice. Tinubu, who was received at the airport by Governor Caleb Mutfwang and APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda, used the platform to urge for communal restraint. He specifically cautioned against narratives suggesting religious motives for the attacks, warning that such claims are often “cowardly” attempts to further inflame existing tensions across the North-Central region.

Despite the President’s emotional outreach, the visit remained under a cloud of local scrutiny due to his decision to remain within the airport precinct rather than traveling into the city of Jos. Nonetheless, the administration maintained that the primary focus of the trip was to provide direct assurance to the victims and coordinate a unified response with the state government. By addressing the viral footage directly, Tinubu sought to demonstrate a level of personal awareness of the human cost of the insurgency. As he prepared to depart for Lagos for the Easter holidays, he reiterated that the federal government is actively procuring new security equipment to prevent such experiences from repeating themselves in the future.

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