President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's condolence visit to Plateau State following the killing of 28 people in Anguwan Rukuba community has sparked false claims about religious exclusion. Jama'atu Nasril Islam (JNI) Plateau State chapter has dismissed reports that only Christian victims' families met with the president. The group confirmed that four Muslim families who lost members were also present at the meeting. Dr Salim Umar Musa, the group's secretary, stated that four representatives from Muslim families received condolences from Tinubu at the airport. The victims—Abubakar Mustapha (19), Ibrahim Haruna (29), an unknown man (approx. 30), and Bala Uba (23)—were buried at Babale burial ground on Wednesday. JNI said the Emir of Wase, who is also the chairman of JNI Plateau State, led a 20-member delegation comprising 15 men and 5 women from affiliated Islamic organisations. The group refuted claims that Muslim victims were abandoned at JUTH mortuary, calling such reports false and dangerous. Despite online threats, Juma'at prayers were held peacefully across all 17 LGAs in the state. JNI credited special prayers led by Imams for fostering calm and urged Muslims to avoid spreading unverified information.
The swift rebuttal by JNI Plateau State, with specific names, burial details and delegation figures, exposes how quickly false narratives can gain traction even in moments of national grief. President Tinubu met with both Christian and Muslim families, and the inclusion of the Emir of Wase in the delegation underscores the state's key Muslim leadership was visibly involved. If such a detailed falsehood emerged within hours of a presidential visit, it raises serious concerns about the reliability of real-time reporting during crises. For Nigerians, this means trust in viral claims—especially those exploiting religious fault lines—should be treated with immediate suspicion.
