Vice President Kashim Shettima has cancelled his trip to the 2024 Commonwealth Heads of Government Summit (CHOGM) in Samoa after his aircraft’s cockpit windscreen was damaged at JFK Airport in New York.

The Presidency disclosed on Thursday night that the plane was struck by a foreign object during a stopover at JFK, forcing the Vice President to halt his journey. In his place, the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal, will now lead Nigeria’s delegation to the summit.

A statement from the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Bayo Onanuga, read: “Vice President Kashim Shettima’s trip to Samoa to represent Nigeria at CHOGM 2024 has been cancelled after a foreign object damaged the cockpit windscreen during a stopover at JFK Airport. President Tinubu has approved a ministerial delegation to represent Nigeria, while repairs on the aircraft have commenced.”

The summit, which began on October 21 and will conclude on October 26 in Apia, Samoa, brings together leaders from 56 Commonwealth nations, including King Charles of England. It focuses on leveraging the ‘Commonwealth Advantage’ to foster resilience and collaboration among member states.

At the meeting, the leaders will discuss the theme, “One Resilient Common Future: Transforming our Common Wealth,” and elect a new Commonwealth Secretary-General.

Shettima had departed Abuja last Sunday for the summit on behalf of President Bola Tinubu. However, both the Vice President and Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar are now en route back to Nigeria.

This marks the second time Shettima has cancelled a trip mid-flight. In May, he aborted his journey to the US-Africa Business Summit in Dallas, Texas, due to a technical issue with his aircraft.

Shettima has previously represented Nigeria at key events in Rome, Havana, Johannesburg, Beijing, Davos, and Nairobi, among other cities.