TINUBU’S VISIT TO JOS: SECURITY COLLABORATION AND LOGISTICAL LIMITATIONS SHAPED PRESIDENTIAL ITINERARY

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s official schedule for Thursday underwent significant adjustments following a series of high-level engagements, including a bilateral meeting with the President of Chad, Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno, at the Presidential Villa.

According to the Presidency, originally slated to receive the Chadian leader and proceed to Iperu, Ogun State, President Tinubu suspended the Ogun trip after receiving a security briefing from Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang. The Presidency then made overnight arrangements for an urgent visit to Jos, deploying key presidential assets. However, the bilateral meeting with the Chadian President—focused on strengthening security collaboration between both nations—ran longer than anticipated, delaying the President’s departure to Plateau State.

Upon arrival in Jos, the visit encountered operational hurdles. Though the road journey from the airport to the city is about 40 minutes, the airport lacks the navigational facilities required for night operations. This made it impractical for the President to drive into the city, meet victims of recent violence, and return before dusk. Consequently, federal and state officials agreed to bring representatives of the affected community to a hall near the airport to enable the President to meet them without breaching flight safety protocols.

Present at the engagement were the Minister of Defence, the Chief of Army Staff, and the Inspector General of Police, all of whom had earlier visited Rukuba—the epicentre of the latest crisis. President Tinubu had deployed this high-level team, including his Senior Special Assistant on Community Engagement, to conduct groundwork, assess security conditions, and interface with residents ahead of his arrival.

During the solemn, live-televised meeting, President Tinubu condoled with the victims and engaged critical stakeholders on addressing the deep-rooted causes of the recurring conflict in Plateau State. He assured residents of the federal government’s commitment to justice, stability and long-term peace, announcing the planned deployment of 5,000 AI-enabled security cameras across Jos to aid surveillance, crime detection, and the identification of perpetrators of violence.

The President also invited community leaders to Abuja for continued dialogue aimed at finding lasting solutions to the decades-long crises that have cost countless lives and property.

Despite attempts by critics to downplay the visit, the engagement was widely regarded as purposeful.

President Tinubu reaffirmed that sustainable peace cannot be imposed but must be forged through genuine engagement with the people most affected by insecurity.

OYO NEWS