Saturday Southerner — Another View 

Saturday, April 4, 2026

The Thursday visit of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to commiserate with the victims of the recent Jos killings cannot be described any less but a disappointing one.

Reports available to the public indicated that, President Tinubu’s visit to Jos only ended at the Yakubu Gowon International Airport, Heipang, Jos, Plateau State, where he met with the victims of the killings. Officials of the State and Federal Government arranged some of the victims and brought them to the airport in Jos where Mr President spoke.

I still cannot wrap my head around it. That, President Tinubu travelled from the Presidential Villa in Abuja to assess the wreck done by the terrorists who unleashed mayhem in Angwan Rukuba in Jos North LGA but ended his visit at the airport without visiting Angwan Rukuba.

President Tinubu failed Nigerians and the world by refusing to visit the affected community for an on the spot visit. He did not visit those in the hospitals to sympathize and give them hope. What was actually the essence of Mr. President’s visit to Jos?

The government officials, traditional and religious leaders, party faithful, the President’s admirers only besieged the airport to meet with him. What impact did that do to the victims in Jos still mourning? Would it not have been better for Mr President to have quietly gone to his Lagos for the Easter break than this insult on the people of Plateau State?

This was also the same attitude meted out to the victims of Yelwata in Benue state when terrorists wrecked havoc in the community some months ago. President Tinubu visited the state without getting to the community where the massacre took place. This is insensitivity and reflects a complete detachment from the people he claims to govern.

Killings in Nigeria have become regular, brutal and unchallenged. Last week, in Borno state, several souls were dispatched to their early graves by some terrorist groups. The killings were done in a manner that displayed their confidence and fearless approach to the evil killings.

While that was happening in Borno state, there was another round of killings going on simultaneously in Kwara state. Men, women, youths and children were brought out from their homes, shops and hideouts, and dispatched away from the earth.

Still in Kwara state, an ECWA church was broken into during worship,; some members were killed and others abducted including the wife of the pastor of the Church. A #1 billion ransom is being demanded before the captives can be released or they will be exterminated.

In Takum part of Taraba state, a security officer and some civilians were ambushed and killed by some hoodlums.

For the Angwan Rukuba community in Jos North area council in Plateau state, some Christian residents observing the annual Palm Sunday festival, a festival known to usher in the Passion or Holy week before Easter, were attacked, several were killed and many injured. These recent killings add to the ongoing concerns about the escalating insecurity in Plateau state and Nigeria generally, where constant violent attacks against Christians had occurred over the years.

Governor Caleb Muftwang of Plateau state who is also the Chief Security officer, visited the community in an armoured tank, with a water-tight, fully armed security personnel escorts. He spoke to the people from the armoured tank. The question many are asking is; where were these security men when the community was attacked? Why didn’t the governor dispatch these security personnel quickly to track down these killers? How come almost all the 36 state governors and the ministers have armoured personnel carriers to protect themselves while some military units don’t have?

A community in Kaduna state was visited by the terrorist groups. Of course, sorrows, tears and blood were used to serve the guests at a wedding reception. Many were killed and others abducted to an unknown place.

Some months ago, Brig. Gen. Lawal Muhammed was attacked and heavily injured by the bandits in Zamfara state. He was flown abroad for medical treatment but news just reaching his family members and the Nigerian Army that, he passed on.

A government that is dedicated and committed to solving the problem of the current insecurity in the country would have looked inwards and organized itself and all the security arms and to dislodge these boys once and for all.

In Burkina Faso, the president and commander-in-chief did the practical thing by confronting these bandits.

The Burkina Faso government intensified every effort at tackling the bandits by deploying full scale military intelligence, science and technology, well-armed and mobilized combatants to the field to completely decimate these criminal elements. But it is not so in Nigeria.

Here we either play, deny, pretend, loot, politick while citizens are killed like chickens for Easter celebration. The drones acquired by the Burkinabes were used to track the movements of the terrorists, trap the bandits and deliver the bombs to finish their existence.

There is no sleeping for the military generals in Burkina Faso, they are at alert to thwart every rising of any terrorist group in their country. The Burkinabe military generals operate from the field and operation rooms and not from offices. Nigerian military generals should emulate this country and do the needful.

The pretence, denial and quietness by the President Tinubu government and military generals that the casualties are not as high is doing the country a whole lot of harm.

Where and how the Nigerian government spends its trillions of naira security votes remains baffling! The Niger and Chad governments successfully chased away these terrorists out of their territories, why can’t Nigeria do same? Why have we allowed religion, ethnic and political differences to arm the terrorists to destroy our beloved country?

In Nigeria, it is obvious that people go into government not principally to transform the country or for the benefit of the ordinary people. They are in government for one purpose alone: to control power and divert the public treasury to their bedrooms. They fly the money abroad and stock it in the banks and financial institutions for the progress of such countries.

However, powerful and brutal men plunder other countries and return fortunes to their country, just like the Chinese are doing in Nigeria.

While the country is burning and people are slaughtered, the Tinubu administration is busy increasing tax charges, travelling round the globe and politicking for 2027 elections. This can’t be accepted.

I am not in defence of any faith, not Christianity, not Islam, but humanity. It is about peoples lives and souls. It is about the lives of the innocent children, the unborn children and pregnant women. We just cannot continue to bury humans like beasts.

Why President Tinubu is not acting decisively against these terrorist groups that have turned Nigeria to a killing field, abducting and destroying properties in the country since coming to power is worrisome. The seeming criminal complicity of the present government in the current attacks and killings in Nigeria cannot be sidelined. While the country is on fire, the impact of President Tinubu is not being felt. Yet he is felt plotting with all his strength to return to Aso Rock in 2027.

I had thought that the president would read the riot act and follow it up with all seriousness at recovering the country from the hands of these bandits when he came to power in 2023. Nigeria can divide peacefully without a fight, if it must.

Certainly, Nigeria is heading to a war if these killings persist. Until the federal government and the Nigerian Military begin immediately to addressing the massacres in the country, it won’t take long for communities to acquire sophisticated weapons to defend their lives, families and communities. These genocidal attacks against Christians won’t continue for too long before the bubble will burst. Nigeria as it is presently may blow up any moment. The signs are there for any discerning mind to read.

It beholds on the leadership of the federal government to showcase responsibility to the people of Nigeria.

The APC led government promised Nigerians Change and Renewed Hope but, they have brought calamity to the citizens. The time for beautiful carved press statements is over – Nigerians demand for a decisive action and reclaim of their country from the terrorists. The government must deploy and sustain heavy security presence in all parts of the country particularly the high-risk areas to prevent further attacks.

The war must be taken to these terrorists wherever they are located in the country. The killings in the country cannot be regarded as normal. Our military are capable to quench this fire. Let the federal government pick up the challenge and do the needful.