Speaker of the Borno State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Abdulkarim Lawan, has recently expressed serious concerns regarding the safety of Vice-President Kashim Shettima.
He stated that Shettima’s life is currently at risk due to the issues he faces with the presidential aircraft he is using to represent President Bola Tinubu at various official events around the world.
Lawan’s comments came after Vice-President Shettima had to cancel his planned trip to the Commonwealth Summit taking place in Samoa. This cancellation occurred due to an unfortunate incident that happened while he was at an airport in New York, United States.
The presidency provided further details about the situation, explaining that Vice President Shettima was unable to continue his journey to Samoa because a foreign object caused damage to his plane during a stopover at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York.
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Bayo Onanuga, who serves as the Special Adviser to the president on Information and Strategy, reported that the aircraft sustained damage, which included significant issues such as a cracked windscreen in the cockpit. This damage raises substantial safety concerns for the vice-president as he travels.
In response to these alarming developments, Lawan made a statement after the incident while in Maiduguri, the capital city of Borno State, indicating the urgent need for action. He firmly urged the Federal Government to prioritize the safety of the vice-president by providing him with a new aircraft. This proactive step, he argued, is essential to prevent any potential tragedy that could arise from the continuing use of a compromised aircraft.