President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has condemned the latest wave of killings in Plateau and Kaduna states, more than a day after the attacks, drawing criticism from Nigerians over his government’s apparent slow and inadequate response to persistent violence across the country.
Gunmen killed no fewer than 40 people on Sunday night in separate attacks on Angwan Rukuba community in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State and Kahir village in Kagarko Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
According to local accounts cited in earlier reporting by Pluboard, 27 people were killed in Rukuba, while 13 wedding guests were reportedly gunned down in Kaduna. However, police authorities in Plateau said 14 people were killed in the Jos attack.
The attacks, which occurred on Palm Sunday, have heightened tensions, with locals saying most of the victims were Christian residents and worshippers.
In a statement issued just before Tuesday noon, Tinubu described the killings as “barbaric and cowardly,” saying those responsible “will not go unpunished.”
“Anyone who will sneak under the cover of the night and kill defenceless citizens as done in Jos and Kahir village, is a heartless coward,” the president said.
“By attacking soft targets in Jos, their objective is not only to cause harm but also trigger a spiral of reprisal attacks and further bloodletting,” he added.
Tinubu said he had directed security agencies to intensify efforts to track down the perpetrators and warned against the spread of misinformation, particularly narratives framing the attacks as religiously motivated.
The president also urged communities to cooperate with authorities, including complying with evacuation and relocation directives where necessary, while calling on security agencies to be more proactive.
“I urge our security agencies to be more proactive in preventing these attacks by acting on early warning intelligence,” he said, adding that all abducted victims in Kaduna must be rescued.
He commended Plateau State governor, Caleb Mutfwang, and Kaduna State governor, Uba Sani, for their response efforts.
“What a Pity!”
Despite the condemnation, the timing of the president’s reaction has triggered anger online, with many Nigerians accusing the government of repeatedly failing to act swiftly or decisively in the face of recurring attacks.
“After two days an active president who is saddle(d) with the responsibility of protecting of life and property of the nation’s citizens is just coming out to address the deadly incident. What a pity,” said a Nigerian user Olori Oluseun on X, reacting to the statement by Bayo Onanuga, the president’s spokesperson.
The killings are the latest in a long-running cycle of violence in parts of north-central and north-west Nigeria, where communities have endured years of deadly raids, reprisals, and insecurity linked to armed groups, banditry, and farmer–herder tensions.
Critics say official responses often follow a familiar pattern of condemnation without sustained action, raising questions about the effectiveness of security strategies and the government’s ability to prevent future attacks.
The president’s belated response took on a more troubling dimension after he and other top administration officials including Vice President Kashim Shettima were shown attending routine events on Monday despite news of the killings.
Former education minister Oby Ezewkesili denounced the lukewarm attitude on social media. “Do you know what manner of leaders feast while their people are being slaughtered? Do you know what kind of leaders watch the gory images of their dead citizens again and again?” she wrote.
“Do you know what manner of leaders with the power and duty to protect lives merely respond to mass killings of their people either with silence or issue useless press releases and make hopeless committee appointments to incompetently “investigate” the obvious? The answer is simple. It is a group of demonized bloodsucking rulers.”
The presidency said new security equipment is being acquired to improve real-time tracking of criminal elements, but for many affected communities, assurances have yet to translate into lasting safety.
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