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Says President’s Message Unmistakable
- Safiu Kehinde
The Presidency has explained reason behind President Bola Tinubu’s decision to address vicitims of the Palm Sunday” gunmen attack on Anguwa Rukuban community in Plateau State at the airport.
NPO Reported that Tinubu had come under fire following his brief visit to the vicitms of the attack and the state government on Thursday.
The President had in an address delievered in barely ten minutes expressed his condolences to the families of the deceased vicitims while assuring them of his administration’s commitment to protection of lives and properties.
Despite his provide relief support to the families and ensure installation of 5,000 Artifical Intelligence-power CCTV cameras across the state, Tinubu’s speech had however been subject to heavy criticism.
Reacting in a statement issued on Friday, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy. Bayo Onanuga, clarified the controversies surrounding the visit.
Onanuga firstly explained that the President’s decision to meet the vicitms at the airport was borne out of the need to return that same evening for other scheduled events.
He cited the President’s hosting of Chadian President, Mahamt Idriss, at the Presidential Villa earlier in he day as the reason behind his late arrival in Jos.
According to the presidential aide, the bi-lateral meeting between both presidents took longer time than planned which affected the scheduled programme for his visit to Jos.
“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.
“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.” Onanuga explained.
On reason behind his decision to address the vicitms at the airport rather than going to their community for on-the-spot assessment, the presidential aide attributed the chang in plan to the need for Tinubu to delart that same evening as the Jos airport’ runway does not support night flights due to the absence of navigational aids.
He also cited the distance between the airport and Jos township which is about 40 minutes distance.
“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.
“Among the people in the hall were the Minister of Defence, the Chief of Army Staff and the Inspector General of Police, who had visited Rukuba, the epicentre of the conflict.” He said.
Meanwhile, Tinubu was said to have deployed the high-level team to Rukuba, including the Senior Special Assistant on Community Engagement, to undertake critical groundwork on security and community engagement, with a view to stabilising the area before his arrival.
Tinubu’s objective for the visit, according to Onanuga, was to engage with critical stakeholders in Plateau State on ending the recurring, decades-old conflict that has resulted in needless loss of lives and property.
“President Tinubu’s visit to Jos was not merely symbolic. It was a strategic, high-level engagement aimed at bringing all stakeholders together to address the root causes of conflict and insecurity in the state.
“He interacted with the victims, consoled them, and listened to them.
“He also listened to local leaders and assured them that the federal government would deliver justice and end the cycle of violence.
“He promised the deployment of 5000 AI-enabled cameras to monitor the city and enhance the identification and arrest of troublemakers.” Onanuga said.
On criticisms surrounding his speech, especially where he cited the power outage at the airport as reason for his need to department as soon as possible, Onanuga slammed critics.
He held that Tinubu’s message was unmistakable as it harped on the need for sustainable peace to be built with the people, not imposed on them.
“The meeting, televised live, was solemn and reassuring, boosting residents’ confidence.
“President Tinubu achieved the purpose of his visit, despite the naysayers’ attempts to ridicule it.
“He dropped an unmistakable message: sustainable peace must be built with the people, not imposed on them.” Onanuga wrote.