President Tinubu is currently facing backlash for addressing Plateau attack from airport instead of visiting Jos.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has faced criticism from Nigerians after addressing residents of Plateau State from the departure lounge of Yakubu Gowon Airport rather than travelling into Jos, where a recent deadly attack occurred.
The airport, located in Hyeipang, is approximately a 40-minute drive from Jos, the state capital where the violence reportedly took place.
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The president visited the state following an attack that left 28 people dead and 22 others injured. Tinubu arrived at the airport on Thursday evening and met with local stakeholders as well as some victims of the incident.
During the meeting, the president assured residents that his administration would support victims and work to restore peace in the affected communities.
However, many Nigerians expressed disappointment after the president did not travel into Jos to personally assess the situation or visit the attack sites.
Tinubu also appeared to signal urgency to leave the state, noting during the meeting that he needed to depart quickly.
“You have no light at the airport, and I have to fly back within the next 10 minutes,” the president said, adding that while he could not offer material support immediately, he promised that such an incident would not recur.
The development sparked reactions on social media, where several Nigerians criticised the decision to address the crisis from the airport rather than visiting the affected communities.
A lawyer, Ridwan Oke, who posts on X with the handle @RidwanuLlah, wrote that the president should have travelled into Jos if he intended to engage with the victims and residents.
“If it was a campaign, he would enter the nooks and crannies of that state to solicit votes. Lives were lost, citizens are panicking and all you could do was a consolation speech at the airport,” he said.
Another user, @FemiBallHard_LV, also criticised the approach, noting that national leaders should directly assess situations in crisis-hit areas rather than limiting their engagement to airport meetings.
Similarly, @peace_igho questioned the purpose of the visit, writing that many Nigerians expected the president to visit Jos itself after announcing the trip.
Another commenter, @Nedumcity_, remarked that the president addressed the situation from the airport rather than meeting affected families in the city.
The criticism highlights growing public debate over how leaders respond to security crises and humanitarian tragedies across Nigeria.
