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JUST IN: Shettima Withdraws from Commonwealth Summit After Foreign Object Hits Aircraft in US
Vice President Kashim Shettima has cancelled his trip to the 2024 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Samoa, following an incident in New York.
Shettima was set to represent Nigeria at the summit, delegated by President Bola Tinubu. However, according to an official statement released Thursday night, a “foreign object” struck his aircraft during a stopover at JFK Airport in New York, damaging the plane’s cockpit windscreen.
Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga confirmed the incident and announced that the president has swiftly appointed a ministerial delegation, led by Minister of Environment Balarabe Abass Lawal, to represent Nigeria at the summit.
The summit, which began on October 21, is set to conclude on October 26 in Apia, Samoa. Vice President Shettima and Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar have since departed New York for Nigeria while repairs on the aircraft are underway.