President Bola Tinubu has appealed to families affected by the deadly March 2026 attacks in Anguwan Rukuba, Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State, to forgive him for failing to visit their communities after the incident.
Tinubu made the appeal on Saturday during the All Progressives Congress (APC) North-Central presidential campaign rally in Jos, where he acknowledged the devastation caused by the attacks and expressed sympathy for the victims.
The President said his previous visit to Plateau State was limited to the airport, preventing him from visiting the affected communities.
“When I last visited the other time, I was limited to the airport. Forgive me if you didn’t see me in the hinterland. But I saw the devastation; I got the report from the governor. I saw horror in the faces of our people,” he said.
Tinubu, however, assured residents that the affected communities would be rebuilt to enable displaced persons to return to their homes.
He noted that Plateau State had suffered repeated attacks since 2001, resulting in the loss of many lives, and extended his condolences to families who had lost loved ones.
The President, who is seeking re-election on the APC platform, also called for unity among residents, stressing that differences in language should not divide the people.
He said he had directed security agencies to take decisive action to restore and sustain peace across the state.
“I have directed all the security agencies to take decisive action and sustain peace and stability on the Plateau.
“What we should be getting is prosperity, not havoc, not crisis. Our government is not elected to inflict wounds on one another or to bury people. We have to lift people up from penury to prosperity.
“One thousand forest guards are undergoing training right now. You will feel them; you will see them. You will feel secure in your villages and communities,” he added.
Tinubu also disclosed that surveillance cameras had been procured as previously promised, assuring residents that his administration was working to ease their suffering.
The March 2026 attack in Anguwan Rukuba, Jos North Local Government Area, left at least 20 people dead and several others injured.
On April 2, Tinubu met with affected families at the Jos Airport, where he offered his condolences and assured them that such an incident would not happen again.
However, his decision not to visit the affected communities attracted criticism. Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga subsequently explained that the President’s visit to the state was affected by a scheduled meeting with the President of Chad.
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