President Bola Tinubu addressed victims of the recent Plateau State attacks at Jos airport on Thursday instead of visiting affected communities due to logistical and security challenges. His spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, explained that the president had initially planned to travel to Ogun State after hosting Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno at the Presidential Villa but suspended the trip following a security briefing from Plateau Governor Caleb Mutfwang. A bilateral meeting with the Chadian leader ran longer than expected, delaying Tinubu's departure for Jos. Upon arrival at the airport, the absence of navigational aids made night landings impossible, and driving into town would have required returning before dusk, which was unfeasible.
As a result, representatives from affected communities were brought to a hall near the airport to meet the president. Senior officials, including the minister of defence, the chief of army staff and the inspector-general of police, had earlier visited Rukuba, the epicentre of the violence. A high-level team was also deployed ahead of Tinubu's visit for security and community engagement. The president assured victims of justice and announced plans to install 5,000 artificial intelligence-powered cameras in Jos to improve surveillance. He also invited community leaders to Abuja for further peace talks, stressing inclusive peacebuilding.
Holding a presidential condolence meeting at an airport terminal because of runway limitations exposes the gap between symbolism and operational reality in crisis response. President Tinubu's decision to meet victims at Jos airport, while logistically justified, underscores how infrastructure deficits shape even the highest-level engagements. The promise of 5,000 AI cameras may sound futuristic, but without basic navigational aids at a state capital's airport, the state of emergency preparedness remains questionable. For Plateau residents, gestures matter less than whether their roads, skies and nights will ever feel secure.
