A public affairs analyst, Mr. Olufemi Adegbulugbe, has critiised President Bola Tinubu for delegating his aide to speak on the December 25, 2023 massacre in Bokkos Local Governement Area of Plateau state.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Adegbulugbe, said, ”In any civilized country, this sad event will automatically ignite a nationwide address of condemnation by the President”.
The statement read; ”In the early hours of December 26, I had the misfortune to watch a video of a Christmas day massacre of our mothers in Bokkos LGA, Plateau State.
”In the video were at least a dozen mothers lying dead in a pool of blood with their children strapped to their back crying for help.
”Nothing can be more horrific than this.
”Three hours later, the cries of these babies keep echoing in my ears.
”Now, straight to the point. In any civilized country, this sad event will automatically ignite a nationwide address of condemnation by the President.
”24 hours after this most horrific event, we have not heard a word of direct condemnation from the President. The President cannot outsource this role to anyone as the Chief Security officer of the State.
”A day of national mourning with flags at half mask is appropriate for this most unfortunate catastrophic event.
”Inspite of the humongous security vote allocations, our mothers and children are not safe.
”Security vote is now directed to the funding of a 40 vehicle convoy to a mosque prayer by the President, complete with machine guns, artillery fire and bazookas.
”The military and police officers that should secure life and property in Bokkus LGA are very busy escorting a President on religious tourism. Where is the pride in all these?
”The President is only safe and secure if the citizens are safe and secure. I hope we understand this very well and clearly.
”If the President cannot condemn them, I have done so on his behalf.
”Nigeria is a secular state of deeply religious people.
”When a President attends a religious function or performs a religious activity, it is considered a private affair. It must not be executed with the machinery, resources or authority of the State.
”In a video, we are entertained with clips of the attendance of President Tinubu at Ajao Mosque in Surulere, Lagos with the full authority of State.
”I counted over 40 executive SUVs as part of his convoy just because a President is going for prayers in a mosque, which is totally a private affair.
”Observing prayers is not part of the roles and responsibilities of the President of Nigeria.
”The convoy included a full military unit with truck mounted machine guns and bazookas. Haba, haba, Nitori Olorun, Ikon Allah.
”Why will over 200 people (military, police, politicians, christians, muslims) escort a President to go and perform a private activity, prayer.
”Think about the cost, fuel, depreciation, the manhours, the inconvenience to the public and the overall addition to the cost of Governance.
”We have never seen video clips of Barack Obama (USA), Aremu Ebora Baba Iyabo (NGR) Muhammadu Buhari (NGR), Benjamin Netanyahu (Israel) and even Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman (KSA) mixing religious activities with executive authority.
”Even more disturbing is the dimension of religious tourism introduced to State Affairs by President Tinubu.
”The President lives in Ikoyi and has a mosque in his house.
”But he choose to abandon the mosque in his house, travel a distance of 20km, disturbing and distorting public peace to attend a mosque in Surulere.
”What is the difference between the mosque in Surulere and Ikoyi.
”Is it not just convenient for the President to quietly observe his personal prayers in the comfort of his home or bedroom.
”The driver for this new dimension religious tourism is political and religious campaign.
”We recall that immediately the President won the APC presidential primaries, Alhaji Tinubu observed Jumat prayers in 3 different mosques in 3 weeks in the same city of Abuja. That is the definition of “Religious Tourism”.
”Every Nigerian has a right to worship and perform religious activities. But Nigeria is a secular state and the President must distinguish between personal religious activities and State functions.
”It is not acceptable that State resources are deployed to private activity of prayers either in a Church, Mosque or Okija Shrine”.
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu has described as “unfortunate” the killing of an eight-month-old infant in the recent violence in Plateau and Benue states, north-central Nigeria.
In a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja and titled ‘Plateau killings: we must break this cycle of violence,’ President Tinubu expressed sadness and grief over the incident, condemning the killings in Mangu and parts of Benue State.
The President in the statement signed by his Special Adviser on Special Duties, Communications, and Strategy, Dele Alake, also described the festering reprisal attacks as “needless and “avoidable” .
He urged community leaders, religious leaders, traditional rulers, socio-cultural organisations as well as the leadership of the Arewa Consultative Forum, Jama’atu Nasril Islam, and the Christian Association of Nigeria to work together to help foster genuine and long-lasting peace.
While reaffirming his government’s strong determination to stamp out violent crimes and all forms of criminalities everywhere in Nigeria, the President directed security agencies to fish out the masterminds of the dastardly acts to face the full wrath of the law.
He, however, charged the governments of Plateau and Benue States and emergency response agencies to provide support and immediate relief to victims who have been displaced as a result of the conflicts.
