In 2014, General Bola Ahmed Tinubu sharply criticised then-President Goodluck Jonathan for his inability to prevent the killing of Christian worshippers in Nigeria’s Northeast.
At the time, Tinubu described the tragic events in Borno and Adamawa as a failure of leadership, questioning Jonathan’s competence in protecting Nigerians.
“The slaughtering of Christian worshippers is strongly condemnable. It calls into question the competence of Jonathan to protect Nigerians,” Tinubu tweeted on January 29, 2014.
Now, eleven years later, President Tinubu finds himself in a similar position. In response to recent attacks in Plateau State, where dozens of Christians were killed, Tinubu has placed the responsibility on Governor Caleb Mutfwang to resolve the crisis.
While expressing federal support, Tinubu emphasized the need for the state government to address longstanding communal tensions. “We cannot allow this devastation and the tit-for-tat attacks to continue. Enough is enough,” he stated, adding that Mutfwang must stop retaliatory violence and address the root causes of the conflict.
“The Federal Government remains committed to supporting Governor Mutfwang and the Plateau State government in promoting dialogue, fostering social cohesion, and ensuring accountability,” Tinubu added.
This isn’t the first time Tinubu’s past comments have clashed with his current position. In April 2014, he stated, “On matters of security, the buck stops at the President’s table,” while urging Jonathan to stop Boko Haram’s deadly rampage. That same month, he condemned the federal response to the Yanyan bombing in Abuja, asserting that “a government unable to protect its citizens deserves to be queried.”
Yet under Tinubu’s own presidency, the attacks continue. On Monday, gunmen killed about 50 Christians in Zikke and Kakpa communities in Plateau’s Bassa Local Government Area. Witnesses say the assailants struck at midnight, burning homes and shooting indiscriminately. Security forces failed to repel the assault.
The incident came just two weeks after 52 people were killed in multiple communities in Bokkos LGA. Since Tinubu assumed office in 2023, over 450 Christians have been killed in targeted attacks across Plateau, Benue, and Nasarawa states, sparking questions about how his administration is handling the same security issues he once weaponized politically.
