Buhari cancels trip to Zamfara over ‘bad weather’

President Muhammadu Buhari will no longer visit Zamfara state as earlier scheduled.

Bello Matawalle, Zamfara governor, announced the development at a meeting with stakeholders in the state on Thursday.

Buhari, who was in Sokoto earlier on Thursday to inaugurate some projects, was billed to proceed to Zamfara to discuss insecurity in the state and also to commiserate with the people over the recent attacks in Anka and Bukkuyum LGAs.

Matawalle said he spoke to the president who informed him that he (Buhari) would have to reschedule the visit over poor visibility for flying.

He added that some of the service chiefs who were expected to fly to Zamfara were also held back in Katsina over the poor weather condition.

The governor said Buhari’s visit has been rescheduled to next week and that a new date would be announced subsequently.

“Mr President has spoken to me and asked me to convey his apologies to the good people of the state. Mr President said he would reschedule the visit to the state next week and the fixed date would be communicated to us in due course,” Matawalle said.

“Some of the security chiefs are currently in Katsina but can’t fly to Zamfara for the same reason. Based on this, we are extending our apology to the good people of the state over the postponement for reason beyond our control. We thank Mr President for his love for the state.”

Earlier, Buhari had commissioned a BUA cement plant in Sokoto.

Among those present when the president visited Sokoto were Aminu Tambuwal, governor of Sokoto; Godwin Emefiele, governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN); and Abdul Samad Rabiu, chairman of BUA Group.