Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria’s president on Friday, returned to the country from Kenya instead of proceeding to London for medical checks as originally scheduled.
Bashir Ahmad, the president’s aide wrote on Friday that he had returned to Nigeria from Kenya where he had gone to attend the 50th Anniversary of the UN Environmental Programme (UNEP) in Nairobi, sending tongues wagging.
“President Muhammadu Buhari has returned to Abuja, after his participation in the 50th Anniversary of the UN Environmental Programme (UNEP) in Nairobi, Kenya,” Ahmad wrote via his Twitter handle on Friday.
Buhari was expected to proceed to the United Kingdom for a two-week medical check-up after the Kenya event.
Femi Adesina, Buhari’s spokesman, had announced the medical trip in a statement issued earlier in the week.
“From Kenya, President Buhari will proceed to London for routine medical checks that will last for a maximum of two weeks,” Adesina had said.
Some Twitter users had expressed shock, demanding explanations over the development.
Buhari, it was gathered, returned to the country around 1 pm on Friday.
As of the time of filing this report, no official statement had been issued on the change in the president’s itinerary, fueling speculations that the checkup might have been put on hold indefinitely.
This is not the first time that Buhari’s medical trip would be canceled abruptly.
In June, Buhari’s medical trip to the UK was canceled hours before the president was due to travel.
Although no reason was given for the development, Adesina announced it in a statement.
“The medical follow-up visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to the United Kingdom earlier scheduled for today, Friday, June 25, 2021. A new date will be announced in due course,” Adesina had said.
