The Presidency has come out in defence of President Bola Tinubu amid criticism trailing his interaction with victims of the recent attack in Plateau State at the airport in Jos.
Tinubu had on Thursday visited the North-Central State, days after at least 28 people were killed in last Sunday’s attack in Jos North Local Government Area of the state.
The visit was aimed at offering the President an opportunity to interact with the victims of the killing, as well as give him an opportunity to tell residents how he plans to prevent future attacks in the city.
Tinubu’s visit had generated mixed reactions, especially online.
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.
The presidential spokesman also said the runway at the airport does not support night flights due to the absence of navigational aids, making it impossible for Tinubu to visit Rukuba, drive back to the airport, and depart before dusk.
“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.
According to Onanuga, the President had initially planned to travel to Iperu, Ogun State, on Thursday, but suspended the trip after Mutfwang briefed him on the security situation in Plateau.
“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.
