The Speaker of the Borno State House of Assembly, Abdulkarim Lawan, has raised concerns about the safety of Nigeria’s Vice-President, Kashim Shettima, following an incident involving the vice-president’s aircraft in the United States.
Lawan claims that Shettima’s life is at risk due to the aging and “faulty” presidential jet he travels with, urging the Nigerian Government to provide a new aircraft for the vice-president’s use.
The incident occurred during a stopover at JFK Airport in New York, where a “foreign object” reportedly hit the plane, damaging parts of the aircraft, including the cockpit windscreen. The damage forced Shettima to cancel his trip to the Commonwealth Summit in Samoa.
In a statement from Maiduguri, Borno State, on Sunday, October 27, Speaker Lawan expressed relief over the safety of the vice-president and his team but emphasized the need for urgent action. “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,” he stated. Lawan also called on the Nigerian Government to seek a “thorough and timely investigation” from U.S. authorities regarding the incident at one of the world’s most secure airports.
Highlighting the risks associated with the aging presidential jet, Lawan stressed the importance of acquiring a new aircraft for Vice-President Shettima. “The life of the Vice-President, and that of his crew/officials, stand at risk while using the old and faulty presidential aircraft,” he said, adding, “There is an urgent need to acquire a new aircraft to avoid a recurrence of air mishaps.”
