President Bola Tinubu is expected to return to Nigeria on Tuesday, September 29, after spending four weeks in Europe, with Lagos State set to host his Independence Day activities.
Tinubu is expected to arrive in Lagos and remain in the commercial capital until after October 1, when Nigeria will mark its 66th Independence Anniversary.
The President is scheduled to deliver a national broadcast as part of activities marking the anniversary. The Federal Government has also planned a public lecture for September 30.
Tinubu’s decision to spend the anniversary in Lagos will mark the second consecutive year he has observed Independence Day in the city.
The President is expected to remain in Lagos for a few days after the anniversary for official engagements before returning to Abuja next weekend.
His return will end an extended working vacation that began on August 30, when he left Abuja for London. The Presidency had initially announced a three-week annual leave.
After about a week in London, Tinubu travelled to Paris, where he held meetings with French President Emmanuel Macron and businessman Vincent Bolloré.
The Presidency later announced on September 21 that the President would extend his stay in Europe by a few days.
Despite being out of the country, Tinubu continued to receive briefings and issue directives on national matters, including an investigation into the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Minna, Niger State.
The Federal Government subsequently constituted a 10-member independent investigative committee and suspended several NSCDC officers pending the outcome of the inquiry.
During Tinubu’s absence, Vice President Kashim Shettima represented him at several official engagements, including Nigeria’s participation in the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Shettima led Nigeria’s delegation to the UN and delivered the country’s national statement on behalf of the President.
With Tinubu’s return, presidential activities are expected to resume fully ahead of his return to Abuja next weekend.
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