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Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu has assured residents of Plateau State that his administration will reconstruct communities devastated by attacks and support the return of people displaced by the violence.
He gave the assurance on Saturday during the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign rally in Jos, where he also appealed to residents who were disappointed by his failure to visit affected communities during his previous trip to the state in April.
Tinubu acknowledged that his earlier visit was restricted to the airport, but said he had received reports from Governor Caleb Mutfwang and seen evidence of the destruction caused by the attacks.
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“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.
He said the state had since recorded progress towards restoring stability, adding that rebuilding efforts would be accompanied by measures to ensure displaced residents could return to their homes.
The President also disclosed that he had instructed security agencies to heighten efforts to restore and maintain peace across Plateau State.
“But since then, that has changed. We are forging together. It is now that we can rebuild, and I assure those displaced that we will rebuild your communities.
“We will rebuild your communities, and we will bring you back to your community. I have directed all the security agencies to take decisive action and sustain peace and stability on the Plateau,” he added.
Tinubu urged residents to overcome ethnic and linguistic divisions, arguing that differences in language and cultural practices should not prevent communities from living and working together.
He called on the people to cooperate in rebuilding the state and the country, particularly by restoring relationships across communities affected by the violence.
“We are one single family created by the same God Almighty. We are just living in different rooms, speaking different languages and behaving any way we want.
“But living in different rooms and speaking different languages does not make us enemies of one another. We have to live together. We have to farm together.
“We have to build this Plateau and this country together. It is our responsibility to tie our horns, behave as brothers and sisters, belonging to the same God Almighty,” Tinubu said.
The President’s pledge came approximately seven months after his April visit to Plateau State, following the March 29 attack on Angwan Rukuba in Jos North Local Government Area, where at least 27 people were killed.
During that visit, Tinubu met with families of victims, community representatives, traditional rulers and other stakeholders at a facility near Yakubu Gowon Airport in Heipang. However, he did not travel into Jos or visit the affected community.
His decision to limit the visit to the airport attracted criticism from opposition figures, including Nigeria Democratic Congress Presidentila Candidiate (NDC) Peter Obi, who described the meeting as a failure of leadership.
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar also faulted the arrangement, describing it as insensitive to residents mourning their losses.
The Presidency later attributed the limited visit to logistical difficulties, including the President’s late arrival and restrictions on night flights at the airport, which prevented him from travelling into the city and returning before dusk.
Plateau State has continued to experience attacks across several communities, particularly in Bokkos, Barkin Ladi, Riyom, Mangu and Bassa local government areas. The violence has resulted in fatalities, destruction of property and the displacement of residents.
It has also disrupted farming and other economic activities, with affected communities repeatedly calling for stronger security measures and the safe return of displaced families.
