Chidi Odinkalu Knocks Tinubu For Visiting Shehu Of Borno To Offer Condolences Over Bombing That Killed Kaduna People

Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, the former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), has slammed President Bola Tinubu.

He berated the President for “transmitting” his condolences following the deadly Nigerian Air Force bombing in Kaduna State from the Palace of Shehu of Borno in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

SaharaReporters on Monday reported that President Tinubu while offering his condolences to the bereaved families during his visit to Maiduguri, described the military drone attack on Tundun Biri in the Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Northwest Nigeria as God’s design.

SaharaReporters had reported how over 100 Muslims from the community were killed by a military drone attack.

Reporting the President’s visit to Maiduguri in a statement, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Chief Ajuri Ngelale quoted Tinubu as saying: "They were Nigerians of profound faith and at the moment of the tragedy, they were reciting the Shadada. God Almighty comforts their families as their nation grieves their passage into glory. May their souls rest in eternal peace.”

The statement said, “Speaking at the palace of the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai Al-Amin El-Kanemi, the President pledged that the Federal Government will continue to do all within its powers to provide support and care to the families of all Nigerians affected by the remnants of insecurity in parts of Borno State.”

Reacting to President Tinubu’s visit to Maiduguri and the offering of his condolences to the people of Kaduna instead of going to the state where the bloody incident occurred, Odinkalu described the President’s action as inappropriate.

According to him, the distance between Abuja and Kaduna is about 190 kilometres while the distance between Abuja and Maiduguri is about 850 kilometres, yet President Tinubu chose to visit Maiduguri which is not only farther than Kaduna but also not the state where the bombing incident occurred.

He wrote on his X (formerly Twitter) handle, “Mind you, the distance to Kaduna from Abuja is 190km; to Maiduguri from Abuja is about 850km.

“So, @officialABAT can find time to visit Maiduguri but not Kaduna. And the matter of visiting Shehu of Borno over the incident in Kaduna is totally off!”