Former presidential aide, Laolu Akande, has criticised the timing of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s trip to the United Kingdom, saying the President missed an opportunity to demonstrate empathy following recent terrorist attacks in Borno State.
Akande, however, acknowledged the President’s directive ordering military chiefs to relocate to the North-East in response to the attacks, describing the move as commendable.
At least 23 persons were killed and 108 others injured when suspected suicide bombers struck multiple locations in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.
The attacks targeted a post office, a crowded weekly market and the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital within minutes.
The incidents occurred on the eve of Tinubu’s official visit to the United Kingdom.
Shortly after ordering service chiefs to move to Maiduguri to take charge of the security situation, the President departed Nigeria for London alongside members of his family and senior government officials.
Reacting during a television programme, Akande questioned the optics of the President’s decision to proceed with the trip at a time of national grief.
He said, “Even if the President could not reschedule his engagement with the British Royals, could he not have made a brief stop in Maiduguri before departing Abuja, or at least address Nigerians directly in a way that conveys empathy and solidarity?”
Akande stressed that beyond military action, leadership requires visible compassion, particularly during moments of national tragedy.
He said the recurring wave of violent attacks across the country risks desensitising both leaders and citizens, warning that Nigerians may be gradually becoming accustomed to large-scale loss of lives.
“We seem to have become desensitised. The frequency of these attacks is creating a dangerous normalisation of tragedy,” he added.
The former aide also raised concerns about Nigeria’s global image, noting the contrast between ongoing insecurity at home and high-level diplomatic engagements abroad.
According to him, the international community may question the country’s priorities when leaders are seen participating in ceremonial events overseas while citizens face persistent threats.
Akande further criticised what he described as the “excesses” of the presidential delegation, noting that several governors, ministers and aides accompanied the President despite unclear roles for many of them.
While acknowledging the importance of diplomacy, he maintained that such engagements must be balanced with strong symbolic leadership at home, especially during periods of crisis.
Meanwhile, the opposition African Democratic Congress had earlier faulted the President’s absence, calling for his immediate return to the country in the wake of the attacks.
The party’s spokesman, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the situation required the “full and undivided attention” of the nation’s leadership.
The Presidency has yet to respond to the criticisms as of the time of filing this report.
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