Maiduguri Blast: Frank Decries Tinubu’s UK Trip 

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

A former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timi Frank, has described President Bola Tinubu’s planned state visit to the United Kingdom on the heels of renewed bombings in Maiduguri as callous and indefensible.

He, therefore, demanded the immediate cancellation of the UK trip, insisting that any departure from Nigeria at such a moment would amount to “a cruel abandonment of grieving citizens”.

Monday evening, there was a coordinated bomb explosion that ripped through University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, the main market and the post office.

Frank noted: “This is not just another attack, it is a national emergency. Our people are being slaughtered, our soldiers are under relentless assault, yet the president is preparing for a ceremonial outing in UK. That is not leadership; that is abdication of responsibility.

“No responsible leader boards a plane to wine, dine and dance when his country is burying its dead,” he said. “A president with empathy goes to Maiduguri, not London. He stands with victims, not with banquet hosts.”

Frank noted that the timing of the visit sent a dangerous and insulting signal that Nigerian lives are expendable and governance failures could be overlooked for the sake of ceremonial photo opportunity.

He added: “We challenge the UK to provide 10 reasons that justify this honour at a time like this. To many Nigerians, this invitation appears to be a subtle endorsement of a second term, despite widespread concerns about governance and the credibility of the last election.”

Frank noted that if a similar level of violence occurred in the UK, its leaders would very much suspend ceremonial engagements and focus on national security.

He alleged that Nigeria’s anti-terror war has been fatally weakened by corruption and internal sabotage, claiming that resources and military hardware meant to defeat insurgents are being diverted.

“It is an open secret that mismanagement and corruption have crippled our security response. There are disturbing reports of weapons meant for our troops finding their way into the hands of terrorists. Yet, the government continues to act as though all is well,” he said.