Borno speaker raises alarm over Vice President Shettima's safety

• Borno State House of Assembly Speaker Abdulkarim Lawan has called on President Bola Tinubu to purchase a presidential aircraft for Vice President Kashim Shettima
• He made this plea as he expressed concerns about Shettima's safety due to the recent issues he has had with his aircraft designated for his official travels
• Recall that Shettima's planned trip to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa was cancelled due to a damaged presidential jet which occurred during a stopover in New York

Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.

Speaker of the Borno State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Abdulkarim Lawan, has said the life of Vice-President Kashim Shettima is at risk as a result of the “faulty” presidential aircraft he uses to represent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in official engagements across the globe.

Tinubu told “Vice President Shettima’s life is at risk.” Photo credit: Kashim Shettima, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu
Source: Facebook

He raised this alarm after Nigeria’s number two citizen cancelled his trip to the Commonwealth Summit in Samoa.

Recall that Vice President Kashim Shettima’s trip to Samoa for this year's Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting (CHOGM) was cancelled due to an incident at an airport in New York, United States.

The presidency in a statement on Friday, said Shettima's trip was aborted due to a damaged presidential jet which occurred during a stopover in New York.

Following the incident, President Tinubu has approved a ministerial delegation to represent Nigeria at the summit to be held in the Pacific small island of Apia, Samoa, from October 21 to 26.

Borno speaker insists VP Shettima's life is at risk, demands new aircraft

Commenting on the situation in a statement issued in Maiduguri, Borno state capital, on Sunday, October 27, Lawan called on the federal government to get Shettima a new aircraft to avoid any tragedy.

As reported by Daily Trust, he said the aircraft designated to the Vice President has had several incidents in recent times.

“I want to sympathize with the Nigerian Government, especially the office of the Vice President, his crew and staff over the unfortunate incident at JFK Airport in New York, U.S.A.”“I also express my gratitude to Allah (God) for saving the precious life of our dear Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima and those on board the ill- fated VP’s plane, even as I urge the Nigerian government to demand a thorough and timely investigation from the United States government over the incident that affected Vice President Kashim Shettima’s plane at one of the most secure spots in the World.“The life of the Vice President, and that of his crew/officials stand at risk while using the old and faulty presidential aircraft. Therefore, there is the urgent need to acquire a new aircraft to Senator Kashim Shettima so as to avoid these recurrence of air mishaps,” he said.

Early this year, the House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence mandated the Federal Government to acquire new aircraft for Tinubu and Shettima, but the presidency came under intense public scrutiny and in the end, only that of Tinubu was acquired.

"Reduce convoys to three cars": Tinubu directs ministers

In another development, Legit.ng reported that President Tinubu directed all ministers, ministers of state, and heads of federal government agencies should not have more than three convoys

The president also directed that all appointees are not expected to have more than five security personnel, which are four police and one DSS operatives

According to the presidency, the move was to reduce the cost of governance, adding that Tinubu had done the same to himself and his vice, Kashim Shettima

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Source: Legit.ng