Vice President Kashim Shettima has departed Abuja for Johannesburg, South Africa, to represent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the G20 Leaders’ Summit following the president’s decision to remain in Nigeria to tackle escalating security challenges.
Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications (Office of The Vice President), confirmed the development in a statement issued Friday.
President Tinubu had initially planned to attend the high-profile gathering but postponed the trip to await further security briefings on recent terror attacks in Kebbi, Kwara, and Niger states that have left dozens of students abducted and communities in panic.
“President Tinubu had postponed his earlier scheduled trip to Johannesburg, South Africa to await further security briefings on the recent security incidents in Kebbi and Kwara States,” the statement explained.
The vice president’s delegation will participate in the summit scheduled for Saturday, November 22nd, to Sunday, November 23rd, at the Johannesburg Expo Centre. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who currently serves as G20 President, had extended the invitation to his Nigerian counterpart.
The summit brings together leaders from the world’s top 20 economies, including representatives from the European Union, the African Union, and major financial institutions to discuss global economic and development issues.
Vice President Shettima is expected to return to Nigeria at the conclusion of the engagements.
The president’s decision to prioritize domestic security concerns comes as Nigeria grapples with a wave of school abductions across northern states. On Friday morning, terrorists raided St. Mary’s Catholic School in Niger State, abducting an unconfirmed number of students and staff—just days after 25 female students were kidnapped from a school in Kebbi State.
The deteriorating security situation has forced the Tinubu administration to cancel multiple international engagements, including previously scheduled trips to Angola, as the government coordinates emergency response efforts to rescue abducted students and restore stability to affected regions.
