Borno State House of Assembly Speaker, Abdulkareem Lawan, has called the Federal Government to purchase a new aircraft for Vice President Kashim Shettima.
This appeal follows an incident where Vice President Shettima had to cancel his planned attendance at the Commonwealth Summit in Samoa.
The presidency issued a statement explaining that Shettima’s plane was struck by a foreign object at JFK Airport in New York, leading to his decision to forgo the trip.
In a statement released Sunday, Abdulkareem Lawan expressed concern that the aging aircraft poses risks to Shettima’s safety as he undertakes official duties on behalf of President Bola Tinubu worldwide.
The lawmaker, who cited safety concerns over the current presidential aircraft assigned to Shettima, noted that the vice president’s plane had experienced multiple technical issues recently.
Lawan highlighted that both Shettima’s life and the lives of his staff are at risk using the older plane, emphasizing the urgent need to provide a safer, newer aircraft to prevent further mishaps.
The statement reads, “I want to sympathise 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 an urgent need to acquire a new aircraft for Senator Kashim Shettima so as to avoid these recurrences of air mishaps.”
KanyiDaily recalls that Kashim Shettima represented President Bola Tinubu at the G77+China leaders’ summit in Havana, Cuba.
