President Bola Tinubu visited Plateau State on Thursday, April 4, arriving at Yakubu Gowon Airport in Heipang at 4:59 p.m., following the Palm Sunday attack in Gari Yawaye, Jos North Local Government Area, which killed about 30 people and injured many others. Instead of visiting victims in hospitals or the affected community, Tinubu held a brief address at the airport for politicians, traditional rulers, and a select group of survivors. His decision to remain at the airport, 36 kilometres from the massacre site, sparked public backlash. Residents took to social media to express outrage, with Kacholom Luka asking on Facebook: "Welcome to Heipang Airport, Mr President. Are the injured victims being transported here for your viewing?" Joel Poret called the event "the most insensitive, callous act ever," while Rhoda Daniel described it as "no sign of humanity." Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, through aide Phrank Shaibu, condemned the visit as "insensitive and detached from reality," accusing Tinubu of turning mourning into a political spectacle. Tinubu announced the deployment of 5,000 AI-powered surveillance cameras in Jos, with Huawei and other firms mobilised for installation. He also ordered the apprehension of perpetrators and directed the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to assess damages. The Nigerian Army deployed 850 additional troops under Operation Enduring Peace, led by Army Chief Waidi Shaibu, who conducted a security assessment in Jos. US Congressman Chris Smith condemned the attack, urging protection for Christian communities, while the Supreme Council for Sharia in Nigeria alleged foreign actors were involved.
Holding a condolence event at an airport while victims bleed miles away makes a mockery of empathy, and Bola Tinubu's choice to stay insulated from the grief in Gari Yawaye speaks louder than his words. By allowing only vetted attendees with ID cards and skipping hospital visits, the president turned mourning into a staged political performance, not a national reckoning. Atiku Abubakar's criticism lands because the optics confirm a pattern—leadership seen managing optics, not crises. For Nigerians in Plateau, the promise of 5,000 cameras will not heal the wound of feeling invisible in their pain.
