Billed to attend mining event to show Abuja is safe, Buhari jets out to UK

President Muhammadu Buhari jetted out of Nigeria Monday for medical reasons a day before his scheduled appearance at a mining event scheduled for Abuja to inspire investors’ interest in Nigeria’s chaotic solid minerals sector.

The president travelled to the United Kingdom for a “routine medical checkup” and will spend about two weeks, his media office said on Monday, just days after he returned from South Korea.

“President Buhari leaves for London October 31, 2022, for routine medical checkup. He returns to the country 2nd week of November, 2022,” the president’s spokesperson, Femi Adesina, tweeted Monday afternoon.

The trip, and its sudden announcement, raised concerns about the president’s health and why the government made a U-turn on the plan for Mr Buhari to attend and declare open the sixth edition of the Nigeria Mining Week on Tuesday. The programme will bring together investors, academics and industry professionals at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.

Mining Week

The mining week is designed to showcase Nigeria’s potential in the mining sector and boost investors’ confidence in underperforming solid mineral industry as part of efforts to diversify the nation’s economy and revenue base.

Nigeria is expected to play a key role in the coming years as a producer of rare earth metals needed in electric vehicles and batteries as the world moves towards cleaner energy. Last week, the Minister of Mines, Steel Development, Olamilekan Adegbite, was enthusiastic in his declaration that Mr Buhari would grace the event slated.

“The government, in particular, has been putting all its political will and weight behind the sustainable development of the Mining Sector and I am super excited to announce that as we aim to discuss the common challenges and share our success stories, His Excellency Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will declare the event open,” he said.

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The minister called on foreign investors to attend the event because Mr Buhari’s scheduled presence was a pointer to the state of security in the nation’s capital, Abuja.

“The Federal Government is not resting on its oars to ensure the safety of lives and property in the country, adding that the Nigerian security apparatus have been duly briefed to take care of the security situation,” he was quoted by Punch as saying. “The fact that Abuja is safe is evidenced in the fact that His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will declare the event open.”

Security Scare

Last week, a number of foreign missions issued travel advisories warning of imminent terrorist attacks in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

PREMIUM TIMES reported the advisories issued first by the U.S. and UK governments, and then by other foreign missions. They warned their citizens to avoid travelling to Nigeria, particularly Abuja, warning of a potential terror attack in the city. The US has since suspended consular operations in Abuja nad advised its staff and their families to relocate from the Nigerian capital.

President Buhari in his response, however, said the advisories do not mean “an attack in Abuja is imminent.”

Analysts argued that Mr Buhari’s scheduled appearance at the mining week event Tuesday would have boosted interest in the mining industry and put paid to reports that the nation’s capital is unsafe.

A Twitter user, Adeolu Ahmed, wondered why the president chose to ignore the mining week despite the significance of his presence at the occasion.

“He was supposed to flag off the Nigerian mining week in person tomorrow according to the minister of mines. That would’ve served two purposes for investors… Assured them that Abuja is safe and emphasize our seriousness with mining as a diversification drive,” he tweeted. “Alas, he’s gone for routine check up. If it’s routine and not a health emergency, couldn’t he have left tomorrow after delivering his keynote address?”

Mr Buhari has a record of embarking on incessant travels, amid criticisms from many Nigerians.

Monday’s trip will be one of the several medical trips the President has embarked on since assuming office in 2015, spending over 200 days abroad.

Barely a year after being sworn in in February 2016, Mr Buhari took his first medical trip to the United Kingdom, spending six days. Later in the same year, he traveled to treat an ear infection, spending a number of days.

In 2021, Mr Buhari departed for London for a “routine medical check-up,” which lasted 15 days.