Vice President Kashim Shettima’s planned trip to Samoa was halted after a cracked aircraft windscreen forced an unexpected delay. Learn more about the incident and the impact on his travel plans.
Vice President Kashim Shettima will not be representing Nigeria at the 2024 Commonwealth Heads of Government Summit in Samoa as originally planned.
The Presidency announced in a statement on Thursday night that the trip was canceled after “a foreign object struck his plane during a layover at JFK Airport in New York.”
As a result, Nigeria will now be represented at the biennial event by a delegation headed by Balarabe Lawal, the Minister of the Environment.
The statement, issued by Mr. Bayo Onanuga, the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, is entitled “VP Shettima’s Plane Cockpit Windscreen Damaged at JFK Airport; Ministerial Delegation to Represent Nigeria at Samoa Commonwealth Summit.”
Last Sunday, Shettima left Abuja to attend the gathering at President Bola Tinubu’s request.
Onanuga stated that the trip of Vice President Kashim Shettima to Samoa, where he was set to represent Nigeria at the 2024 Commonwealth Heads of Government Summit, has been canceled. This decision followed an incident where a foreign object struck his plane during its layover at JFK Airport in New York.
A foreign object caused damage to the plane’s cockpit windscreen.
President Tinubu has swiftly authorized a ministerial delegation to represent Nigeria at the summit in Apia, Samoa’s capital, while repairs on the plane have begun.
Leading the delegation that will represent Nigeria at the 2024 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa is the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal.
Shettima will stand in for Tinubu at the Commonwealth summit in Samoa.
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The summit commenced on the Pacific island on October 21 and is scheduled to conclude on Saturday, October 26.
The Vice President was set to attend the inaugural CHOGM on the Pacific island of Apia, Samoa, from October 21 to 26, alongside King Charles of England and other leaders representing the 56 member countries.
The theme will concentrate on how member countries can capitalize on their strengths through resilience, tap into potential, utilize the ‘Commonwealth Advantage,’ and promote a connected digital Commonwealth.
During the meeting, Nigeria and other member countries will elect and appoint the new Commonwealth Secretary-General.
The leaders will discuss the theme, “One Resilient Common Future: Transforming Our Shared Wealth.”
Onanuga disclosed that “Vice President Shettima and Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar have departed New York for Nigeria.”
This will be the second time Shettima has canceled a trip halfway through.
In May, he was set to represent the President at the US-Africa Business Summit in Dallas, Texas. However, his flight had to turn back midway because of a technical issue with his aircraft.
The Presidency stated that Shettima followed the recommendation of the Presidential Air Fleet to cancel his trip.
