President Bola Tinubu's visit to Plateau State on Tuesday drew criticism after it emerged he did not leave the airport during his stopover. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar accused the president of failing to meet with victims of recent violence in the state. Mr Atiku said the brief airport visit offered no comfort to grieving families or affected communities. His statement, issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, questioned the value of a presidential presence that did not include direct engagement. Plateau State has seen a surge in killings linked to communal clashes, with dozens reported dead in attacks on villages in the past week. The presidency has not provided a detailed explanation for why the president did not travel beyond the airport. Mr Tinubu's trip lasted only a few hours, during which no public address or briefing was delivered.
A president who flies in but never disembarks sends a message as clear as any speech. Atiku's critique hits harder because the facts support it — no meeting with victims, no visit to affected villages, no words from Tinubu beyond the tarmac. For Nigerians enduring violence in Plateau, the image of their president staying on the plane risks deepening the sense of abandonment. Symbolic gestures without substance rarely calm unrest.
