Buhari Cancels “Casual Leave’’ As Mark Of Respect For Boko Haram Victims

President Muhammadu Buhari has cancelled his planned five-day “casual leave’’ as a mark of respect for victims of Boko Haram attacks across the battlefields in the Northeast zone of the country.

President Buhari had planned to spend the casual leave at his home country, Daura, Katsina State from Nov. 27 to Dec. 2. The president, according to NAN, had earlier cancelled his official trip to Benin City, Edo, where he was initially billed to inaugurate the Edo-Azura Power Plant and grace the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Annual Conference.

Already, the advanced teams of the president, who left Abuja for Katsina and Benin on Sunday, had been asked to return. The cancellation of the trips would also enable the president to continue his ongoing meetings and consultations with relevant security and community intelligence personnel aimed at addressing the nation’s security challenges.

However, the president is expected to declare the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Annual Conference, which was moved from Benin City to Maiduguri, Borno, on Nov. 28 at the Government House Conference Hall (CGH). President Buhari’s aide on New Media, Alhaji Bashir Ahmad, had on Sunday confirmed this development on his tweeter handle.

He said: “President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to declare the COAS Annual Conference on Nov. 28, 2018 at the Conference Hall CGH in Maiduguri, Borno state. “The conference was earlier scheduled to take place from 26 -28 November 2018 in Benin, Edo state.

The shifting of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Annual Conference from Benin City to Maiduguri might not be unconnected with the killing of Nigerian soldiers at Metele, a remote village bordering Nigeria and Chad.

President Buhari would use the opportunity of the COAS conference to address the Nigerian soldiers at the battlefields to further boost their morale.

Source: vanguard