THE multiple bombings in Maiduguri, Borno State, on March 16, which left 23 people dead and 108 others wounded, should have plunged the country into solemn reflection and decisive leadership. At a moment of grief, when families were counting their dead and tending to the wounded, President Bola Tinubu and the political leadership chose pomp over presence, spectacle over statesmanship. The President’s trip to the United Kingdom for a state visit could—and should—have been cancelled. On Tuesday, barely 24 hours after the bombings, Anambra State Governor Charles Soludo hosted an elaborate second-term swearing-in ceremony. Among the dignitaries present was Vice-President Kashim Shettima, himself a former governor of Borno State.

Source: Punch March 23, 2026 23:06 UTC