President Bola Tinubu visited Jos on Thursday, four days after gunmen killed at least 28 people in a Sunday night attack at a busy junction in the city. He was received by Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang and security officials, holding meetings with victims' families and stakeholders in a hall near the airport. During the visit, a viral video showed Tinubu consoling a grieving mother holding her deceased son. The PDP, in a statement signed by National Publicity Secretary Ini Ememobong, condemned the visit as "insensitive" and "a superficial show," citing the president's 48-hour silence and late arrival. The party criticised the decision to remain at the airport, quoting Tinubu as saying the venue "does not have light" and that he had only 10 minutes before departing for Abuja. The PDP linked the airport-only stop to broader national insecurity, stating the president's inability to visit affected areas reflected the failure of security agencies. The presidency defended the arrangement, citing scheduling delays from a postponed meeting with Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno and flight restrictions requiring daylight departure. Tinubu announced plans to deploy 5,000 AI-enabled CCTV cameras in Jos and invited community leaders to Abuja for dialogue. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar called the visit a "choreographed spectacle," while sporadic violence continued in parts of Jos, especially around the university, prompting increased military presence.
Holding a condolence meeting in an airport lounge while declaring there's no light sends a message no government briefing can undo. Tinubu's 10-minute stop in Jos, framed as logistical necessity, plays as detachment when families are burying sons in the streets just kilometres away. Announcing 5,000 cameras after 28 deaths feels like treating amputation with a bandage. When the president cannot step beyond the tarmac, it is not just a security risk — it is a collapse of symbolic leadership.
