The Presidency has shed more light on the circumstances surrounding President Bola Tinubu’s recent visit to Plateau State.
The Presidency explained why his engagement with victims of the Jos attacks took place at the airport rather than within the affected communities.
In a statement issued on Friday, his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, clarified that the decision was shaped by a mix of tight scheduling, diplomatic obligations and aviation limitations, not a lack of intent to visit the communities directly.
Onanuga said the President’s day had already been tightly scheduled, with plans to host Mahamat Idriss Déby and later travel to Ogun State.
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He said however, after receiving a briefing from Caleb Mutfwang on the scale of the violence in Jos, Tinubu immediately shelved his Ogun trip to focus on the Plateau.
Onanuga added that his meeting with the Chadian leader, centred on cross-border security, extended longer than expected.
According to him, with the visiting president already at the Presidential Villa, postponing the engagement was not an option, which ultimately delayed Tinubu’s departure for Jos.
He said the choice of venue was driven purely by practical realities rather than symbolism.
Onanuga noted that Jos airport does not currently have the required navigational aids for safe night landings, the airport is about 40 minutes from the city centre, leaving little time to visit affected areas and return before sunset.
He said to ensure the visit still went ahead, victims’ representatives and community leaders were brought to the airport to meet the President directly.
He said despite the location change, the Presidency insisted the visit was purposeful and outcome-driven.
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Onanuga stated that Tinubu was accompanied by top security officials who had already visited the worst-hit areas, including Rukuba and during the interaction, he made several key commitments.
These include announcing plans to deploy 5,000 AI-powered surveillance cameras across Jos to strengthen monitoring and aid law enforcement, reassuring affected families that those responsible would be held accountable and inviting community leaders to Abuja for further dialogue aimed at resolving the long-standing crisis.
Responding to criticism, Onanuga maintained that the essence of the visit was not the location but the engagement itself.
According to Onanuga, the President’s message was clear: sustainable peace in Plateau can only be achieved through direct dialogue with the people most affected—not by distant decisions, but by inclusive, on-the-ground engagement.
