President Bola Tinubu is being dragged by the People’s Democratic Party, over his handling of the Christmas eve attack on Mangu and Bokkos communities in Plateau State.
The PDP said by failing to visit the communities to get on the spot assessment and marshal out a strong response to the attacks has failed to demonstrate leadership, adding it raises fear of complicity.
“Our Party asserts that President Tinubu’s failure to show personal empathy and leadership by visiting the troubled people of Plateau State tends to validate disturbing insinuations in the public space of complicity in high places with regard to the attacks,” a statement signed by PDP national publicity secretary Debo Ologunagba.
“The PDP is concerned as Nigerians raise puzzling questions as to what was responsible for the failure of intelligence before and during the coordinated massacre which went on for over 48 hours.
“Of further concern is the fact that Nigerians are also raising issues on these apprehensions by making reference to the statement attributed to former military head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha on the possibility of complicity by officials of a government in unrestrained insurgency or crisis situation such as witnessed in the Plateau State massacre.
“President Tinubu must therefore allay fears and concerns on the above by immediately visiting the affected communities and personally addressing the nation on concrete steps to track down the perpetrators and their sponsors.
“It smacks of grave insensitivity and dereliction of duty for Mr. President as the Commander-in-Chief to remain silent in the face of targeted massacre of his citizens without defence and assistance. The President even failed to play his expected role as ‘Consoler-in-Chief’ by not immediately visiting the troubled areas to demonstrate leadership, empathy and connection with the citizens.
“Instead of sending his aides to issue lame statements and detailing surrogates to visit after much prodding, President Tinubu should have as a matter of duty personally visited the scene of the genocide to give succor to the families of the dead and the wounded as well as reassure that his government is with the people of the affected communities in particular and Plateau State in general.
“Of course, the whole world witnessed the video of President Joe Biden kneeling down before the daughter of George Floyd to offer his condolences on behalf of the United States for the brutal murder of her father. President Tinubu ought to have drawn a lesson from that.”
MEANWHILE, the United States Mission in Nigeria has condemned the attacks and killing in Plateau. The U.S. Mission in Nigeria in a short condolence message on X (formerly Twitter) described the incident as tragic, saying those responsible for the attacks and killing must be held accountable.
“The U.S. Mission in Nigeria condemns the recent attacks in Plateau State and expresses heartfelt condolences for the tragic loss of life. It is imperative that those responsible for these heinous attacks are held accountable,” the message read.
Similarly, France in a condolence message released through the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, also condemned the attacks and killings.
It called for the identification and prosecution of the attackers and assured the Nigerian government of its full support.
“France utterly condemns the attacks carried out over the past several days on several villages in Plateau State, located in central Nigeria, which resulted in a large number of casualties.”
