President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s condolence message following a tragic plane crash in Washington, D.C., has drawn sharp criticism from Nigerians, who accused him of ignoring similar tragedies at home.
Tinubu had expressed his sadness over the incident on X (formerly Twitter), stating:
“I am deeply saddened by the tragic incident in Washington, D.C.
On behalf of Nigeria, I extend our heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims, the people of the United States, and all affected by this profound loss. I commend the courageous efforts of first responders and emergency teams for their selfless work in harsh conditions.
Nigeria stands in solidarity with the United States Government and its People, united in grief and hopeful for a new day.”
However, his message did not sit well with many Nigerians, who pointed out that he had failed to acknowledge numerous tragedies in Nigeria, including recent terrorist attacks, tanker explosions, and military casualties.
One user wrote:
“Very irresponsible president. All the lives we have lost in this country, you haven’t made any tweet about it.”
Another commented:
“People are wiped daily in the country you swore to protect, yet nothing from you. But somehow, you are saddened by what happened seven seas away.”
Ubong Abia (@ubongutioh) added:
“Just look at this man! The crash is not even up to 24 hours, and you have posted a condolence message. But when tankers explode, our Air Force mistakenly bombs civilians, and Boko Haram kills soldiers, you remain silent. You are evil!”
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Critics also highlighted the recent killing of 17 Nigerian soldiers by terrorists in the North, questioning why Tinubu had not publicly mourned them. Others accused him of trying to gain favor with the U.S. government while neglecting domestic issues.
Despite the backlash, a few users defended Tinubu, commending him for showing empathy. However, the overwhelming majority of the 3,000+ responses on social media reflected disappointment and anger over what many described as a misplaced priority.
