President Bola Tinubu has pledged to reconstruct Plateau communities hit by violence and to help displaced residents return home.
He made this commitment on Saturday at the All Progressives Congress presidential campaign rally in Jos, where he also urged residents to forgive him for not visiting the affected communities during his earlier trip to the state in April.
He admitted that his previous visit was confined to the airport, noting that he had seen the destruction caused by the attacks and received briefings from Governor Caleb Mutfwang.
“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.
The president stated that the state had since made progress towards rebuilding and urged residents to work together to achieve lasting peace.
“But since then, that has changed. We are forging together. It is now that we can rebuild, and I assure you 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.
He further urged residents to set aside their differences and embrace unity, emphasizing that ethnic and linguistic distinctions should not turn them into enemies.
“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, and belong to the same God Almighty,” Tinubu said.
The President’s comments came roughly seven months after his April trip to Plateau, which followed the March 29 attack on the Angwan Rukuba community in Jos North Local Government Area, where at least 27 people were killed.
On that trip, Tinubu met with victims’ families, community leaders, traditional rulers, and other stakeholders at a facility near Yakubu Gowon Airport in Heipang, but he did not go into Jos or visit the affected community.
The decision drew criticism from opposition figures, among them former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, who called the airport meeting a failure of leadership.
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar also faulted the limited scope of the visit, calling it insensitive to grieving residents.
The presidency later said logistical constraints, including Tinubu’s delayed arrival and restrictions on night flights at the airport, made it hard for him to travel into the city and return before dusk.
Plateau has seen repeated attacks in several communities, especially in the Bokkos, Barkin Ladi, Riyom, Mangu, and Bassa local government areas, leading to deaths, destruction of property, and displacement.
The violence has also disrupted farming and livelihoods, and affected residents have repeatedly called for better security and the safe return of displaced persons.
