Tinubu directs deployment of 5,000 AI-enabled cameras in Plateau
… President assures attack won’t happen again … Visits Jos after Angwan Rukuba carnage … Commiserates with victims, families President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday directed the immediate deployment of
... President assures attack won't happen again
... Visits Jos after Angwan Rukuba carnage
... Commiserates with victims, families
- From Bolaji Ogundele, Abuja
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday directed the immediate deployment of over 5,000 artificial intelligence-enabled surveillance cameras across Plateau State as part of a sweeping security response to recent attacks, assuring residents that such incidents would not recur.
The President gave the directive during a visit to Jos following the March 29 gun attack on residents of Angwan Rukuba in Jos North Local Government Area, which claimed the lives of innocent citizens.
Tinubu said the AI-powered digital camera network, to be supervised by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijjani, would be installed first in Jos before expanding across the state, in close coordination with the Plateau State Government and security agencies.
He noted that the initiative builds on similar security infrastructure already deployed in Lagos and Enugu States, designed to enhance intelligence gathering, surveillance, and rapid response capabilities of law enforcement agencies.
“I promise you that this experience will not repeat itself,” the President assured victims and residents during a meeting at the arrival lounge of Yakubu Gowon Airport, Jos.
He lamented the pain caused by the violence, saying he was deeply disturbed by videos of the attacks.
“It is only God that can give you joy and comfort. No amount of money can recompense for lost souls,” he said.
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The President issued a firm directive to security chiefs, including the Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (Rtd), the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, and the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to ensure that perpetrators are apprehended.
“I thank the men and women of the armed forces and the police for what they are doing and what they are about to do. You must unearth and find the killers,” Tinubu stated.
He further pledged that the Federal Government would do everything possible to ensure justice is served, while providing relief and support to affected families.
To this end, Tinubu directed the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Bernard Doro, to compile comprehensive data on victims to guarantee equitable distribution of assistance.
Addressing political leaders, traditional rulers and other stakeholders, the President stressed the need for proactive and collective action to prevent future occurrences, urging them to learn from past crises.
“Why is the past not a source of lessons to us? I have listened to Jonah Jang, Wase, Lalong, Nentawe and Governor Mutfwang,” he said.
“Governor, you and I were elected on a promise of peace and security, not to comfort and create widows and widowers. We were elected to bring prosperity and inclusiveness, to share hope and aspiration with everyone, and to lead our youth.
“I assure our youths who are represented here that I do not want to be here consoling and commiserating — I want to be here to establish peace,” he added.
Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, described the attack as a temporary setback, noting that the state had enjoyed relative peace prior to the incident.
“We will win this war against insecurity,” the governor said, expressing confidence in the efforts of security agencies and ongoing interventions.
He also thanked the President for approving the recruitment of 1,000 forest guards to complement the state’s security framework.
National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, commended Tinubu for standing with the people of Plateau, noting that the crisis had lingered for years.
He expressed optimism that the President’s intervention would strengthen security agencies, stem the tide of violence, and bring comfort to bereaved families.
“We will stay back and work with our people to find a lasting solution to the problem,” he said.
Former governor of Plateau State, Jonah David Jang, warned that the spread of violence from rural communities into urban centres posed a dangerous dimension to the crisis.
“I went through it, Joshua Dariye went through it, Simon Lalong went through it. The fact that the violence is now leaving the villages and getting into the townships is a dimension that we do not want to see,” he said.
Jang also alleged that some actors were attempting to undermine national progress, suggesting that insecurity could be politically motivated.
“You are doing a fantastic job for the nation, and some people think they want to spoil it like this,” he added.
Similarly, former governor Simon Lalong emphasised that lasting peace would require collective resolve among Plateau people, recalling that previous administrations had grappled with similar challenges.
“It is not security agencies that will bring peace — Plateau people will bring peace. If we are ready, we will proffer a solution,” Lalong said, advocating a closed-door stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja.
Former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ahmed Idris Wase, noted that much work remained to secure the state, pointing to recent killings in parts of Plateau.
“In Wase and Kanke alone, last week we lost over 14 people, including a captain of the Nigerian Army,” he said, calling for stronger collaboration between the Air Force and ground troops, particularly ahead of the farming season.
The visit comes amid heightened concerns over recurring attacks in parts of Plateau State, with the Federal Government reiterating its commitment to restoring lasting peace and security in the region.
