President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has clarified the circumstances that led to his meeting with victims of recent attacks in Plateau State at the airport, describing the engagement as a strategic decision shaped by logistical and security realities.
In a statement issued on April 3, 2026, by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the presidency explained that the President had initially planned to travel to Iperu after hosting the Chadian leader, Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno, at the Presidential Villa.
However, following a security briefing by Caleb Mutfwang, Tinubu suspended the Ogun trip and redirected his visit to Jos to commiserate with victims of the attacks.
According to Onanuga, “The President’s meeting with the Chadian leader, which focused on strengthening bilateral security cooperation, ran longer than expected, affecting his departure time.”
He further explained that logistical constraints at the Jos airport influenced the decision to meet victims at a nearby facility rather than in the city.
“While the road journey to Jos township takes about 40 minutes, the airport lacks night-landing facilities. It became impractical to travel into town, meet victims, and return before dusk,” Onanuga stated.
“As a result, state and federal officials arranged for representatives of the affected communities to meet the President at a hall adjoining the airport.”
The statement noted that key security officials, including the Chief of Army Staff and the Inspector General of Police, had earlier visited the crisis-hit Rukuba area, described as the epicentre of the violence, ahead of the President’s arrival.
Beyond offering condolences, Tinubu used the visit to engage stakeholders and outline measures to tackle the persistent conflict in the state.
“The President’s visit was not merely symbolic. It was a high-level engagement aimed at addressing the root causes of the decades-long crisis,” Onanuga said.
During the meeting, Tinubu assured victims and community leaders of justice and decisive action to end the cycle of violence.
“He listened to the victims and local leaders and assured them that the Federal Government would bring perpetrators to justice and restore peace,” the statement added.
As part of new security measures, the President announced plans to deploy 5,000 AI-enabled surveillance cameras across Jos to improve monitoring and aid law enforcement.
He also invited community leaders to Abuja for further dialogue on achieving lasting peace.
“The President delivered a clear message that sustainable peace must be built with the people, not imposed on them,” Onanuga concluded.
