Vice President Kashim Shettima’s planned trip to Samoa for the 2024 Commonwealth Heads of Government Summit (CHOGM) has been cancelled due to an in-flight incident. According to a statement from the Presidency, the plane carrying the Vice President was hit by a foreign object during a stopover at JFK Airport in New York, damaging the aircraft’s cockpit windscreen.
With Shettima unable to attend, Nigeria will now be represented by a delegation led by the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal. The biennial summit, held in Apia, Samoa, is set to run from October 21 to 26 and will bring together leaders from 56 member countries, including King Charles of England, to discuss global challenges under the theme, “One Resilient Common Future: Transforming our Common Wealth.”
The Presidency’s statement, signed by Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, explains that President Bola Tinubu authorized a swift response, approving the ministerial delegation to ensure Nigeria’s participation while repairs on the Vice President’s plane began.
Originally, Shettima had departed Abuja last Sunday for the summit on President Tinubu’s directive. The event marks the first CHOGM hosted in the Pacific region, and the agenda includes exploring member nations’ potential to leverage the ‘Commonwealth Advantage’ through resilience and digital connectivity. Member countries are also expected to elect the next Commonwealth Secretary-General.
Mr. Onanuga confirmed that both Vice President Shettima and Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar have now departed New York and are en route to Nigeria. This cancellation marks the second time Shettima has been forced to suspend a diplomatic mission mid-flight. In May, he aborted his journey to the US-Africa Business Summit in Dallas due to technical issues with his aircraft.
