Insecurity: Forgive me for not visiting communities, Tinubu begs Plateau residents

President Bola Tinubu has appealed to residents of Plateau State to forgive him for not visiting communities affected by recurring attacks, particularly Angwan Rukuba in Jos North Local Government Area, following the March 29 killings. Tinubu made the appeal on Saturday during the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign rally in Jos, where he acknowledged the devastation caused by years of violence in the state.

The president explained that his previous visit to Plateau was restricted to the airport, but insisted that he had seen the extent of the destruction and received reports on the situation from Governor Caleb Mutfwang. “When I last visited, the other time, I was limited to the airport; forgive me if you didn’t see me in the hinterland, but I saw the devastation,” Tinubu said.

“I got the report from the governor; I saw the horror in the faces of our people. “At the end of the day, we are fighting together; it is now that we can rebuild, and I assure those displaced that we will rebuild your communities, and we will bring you back to your community.” Tinubu, who acknowledged that attacks in Plateau since 2001 had claimed lives, destroyed homes and displaced communities, assured affected residents that his administration would support efforts to rebuild their communities and facilitate the return of displaced persons.

He also urged residents to embrace peaceful coexistence, saying differences in language and other identities should not divide them. “Living in different rooms and speaking different languages does not make us enemies of one another. We have to live together, we have to farm together, we have to build this Plateau and this country together,” he said.

The president also expressed condolences to families who lost loved ones, survivors of the attacks and residents whose homes were destroyed or who remained unable to return to their communities. “To every bereaved family, every home destroyed, every survivor, and everyone unable to return home, I offer my heartfelt condolences for your loss,” he said.

On March 29, several residents of Angwan Rukuba were killed when unidentified gunmen opened fire on people at a popular bar in the community. The attackers were suspected to be cultists. Following the incident, Tinubu, during a visit to Jos in April, ordered the deployment of 5,000 artificial intelligence-enabled surveillance cameras to strengthen security in Plateau State.

During the visit, he sympathised with the victims’ families, saying no amount of compensation could make up for their losses. He also met with stakeholders and some victims at the Plateau airport. However, his failure to visit the affected communities during that trip attracted criticism from Nigerians, some of whom questioned his decision to restrict his visit to the airport.

Responding to the criticism, Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, explained that Tinubu had engagements scheduled before the attack, including meetings with the Chadian President in Abuja and a trip to Iperu, Ogun State. The explanation followed public criticism of the president’s decision not to visit the violence-hit communities.