Jos Killings: Obi Knocks Tinubu For Addressing Victims At Airport, Not In Affected Community

Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has said President Bola Tinubu showed a lack of empathy for the victims of the Jos, Plateau State killings by addressing them at the airport instead of visiting the community where the attack occurred.

Obi, in a post on X, said it was profoundly inadequate for the president to address citizens who have just lost loved ones, homes, and their sense of safety on an airport tarmac.

The ADC chieftain recalled a similar incident in 2025, when Tinubu addressed victims of killings in Benue State at the Government House rather than at the scene of the attack. He said the approach exacerbates the sense of abandonment felt by Nigerians amid repeated cycles of violence.

“During his visit to Benue State in June 2025, Bola Ahmed Tinubu stopped at the Government House but did not go to the actual scene where innocent Nigerians lost their lives. Similarly, yesterday in Jos, his engagement ended at the airport instead of the affected communities.

“What happened in Plateau yesterday highlights a complete absence of leadership. True leadership requires presence, empathy, compassion, and a willingness to meet people where their pain truly lies. For citizens who have just lost loved ones, homes, and their sense of safety, being addressed from an airport tarmac is profoundly inadequate,” Obi said.

He noted that the president’s approach deepens the sense of abandonment already felt by innocent Nigerians who have endured repeated violence without meaningful protection or justice.

Obi added that Plateau deserves urgent action and a clear commitment to ending the insecurity that continues to claim innocent lives, not distant words.

“In such moments, leadership must not only be visible but also tangible—standing with victims, listening to survivors, and acknowledging the depth of their grief.

“If we truly desire a better Nigeria, we must demand leadership that is present, responsive, and responsible at all times,” he said.