Criticism has followed President Bola Tinubu’s visit to Plateau State, with his brief airport interaction with victims of a deadly attack and subsequent remarks sparking backlash from opposition figures and the public.
Criticism has trailed President Bola Tinubu’s visit to Plateau State, where he was meant to condole victims of the latest attack in Angwa Rukuba, Jos North Local Government Area. Daily Trust had reported how gunmen struck in the area on Sunday, killing 28 persons and leaving many injured. On Wednesday, Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga had announced that the President would head for Jos “to commiserate with the government and people of the state over the recent gun attacks, which claimed the lives of innocent citizens”. The President left Abuja after hosting his Chadian counterpart, but the aftermath of that trip has generated backlash.
Addressing the victims, who were conveyed to meet him at the airport, the President said, “You have no light at the airport, and I have to fly back within the next 10 minutes. To the victims, there’s nothing I can give you, whether it’s money in millions, but console you and promise you that this experience will not repeat itself.” The hall was filled with political supporters, traditional rulers, security personnel, among others.
Probably feeling it was a good outing, the President took to X, formerly Twitter to give an update. “This afternoon, I spent time with stakeholders and victims of the recent terror incident in Jos, Plateau State. No amount of money can bring back the dead, but the Federal Government will do our best to comfort them, walk with them and provide necessary assistance. Rhoda Favour, I feel your pain but no matter what we say, we cannot bring Ayuba back. We will find the perpetrators of this dastardly acts,” he wrote while posting some pictures of the trip. But no sooner than he made that post did social media literally get on fire over the trip, with opposition leader and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar among those who first reacted through his aide, Phrank Shaibu.
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