President Bola Tinubu has cancelled his scheduled trips to South Africa and Angola, and dispatched Vice President Kashim Shettima to represent him at the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg.
According to the State House, Tinubu opted to remain in the country to address pressing security concerns. The VP departed Abuja on Thursday.
This follows Tinubu’s earlier decision to postpone his scheduled trips to await further security briefings on recent security incidents in Kebbi and Kwara States.
The president was originally scheduled to leave Abuja to attend the 20th G20 Summit of leaders in South Africa and thereafter proceed to Luanda for the 7th AU-EU Summit.
However, presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga said days ago that the president postponed his trip pending further security briefings on a church attack in Kwara State and the kidnapping of about 25 schoolgirls in Kebbi State.
At least three worshippers were reportedly killed when armed men stormed the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) in Oke Isegun, Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State during a church programme on Tuesday.
The attack prompted President Tinubu to order the deployment of more security personnel to the affected area.
On Tuesday, the State House quoted President Tinubu as expressing concern over the security situation in the country.
“As the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, I am depressed with the tragic death of our soldiers and officers on active duty. May God comfort the families of Brigadier General Musa Uba and other fallen heroes. I am also depressed that heartless terrorists have disrupted the education of innocent schoolgirls,” Tinubu said.
Announcing the VP’s departure, his spokesman, Stanley Nkwocha, said on Friday: “Following the decision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, to stay back in Nigeria and attend to security concerns in the country, Vice President Kashim Shettima has departed Abuja to represent the President at the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa.”
President Cyril Ramaphosa, the South African leader who also serves as the current President of the G20 group had invited his Nigerian counterpart to participate in this year’s edition.
The Summit, scheduled to take place from Saturday, November 22nd, to Sunday, November 23rd, at the Johannesburg Expo Centre, will bring together leaders from the world’s top 20 economies, including the European Union, the African Union, financial institutions, among others.
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