The cancelation may not unconnected to security threats to the President from a newly formed militant group, Niger Delta Avengers who had reportedly threatened to assassinate the President should he set foot in the Niger Delta region.
However, the cancellation, according to political watchers, may also not be unconnected with health challenges by the President which had seen him also cancel the previously scheduled visit to Lagos to commission completed projects by the state governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, late last month.
The cancelation is not unconnected to security threats to the President from a newly formed militant group, Niger Delta Avengers who had threatened to kill the President should he step foot in the Niger Delta region.
It is unclear if the President plans to attend the ECOWAS meeting scheduled to discuss issues of regional security and economic development in Dakar tomorrow.
It would be recalled that a suspected member of a newly established militant group in Nigeria, Wednesday, warned the life of President Muhammadu Buhari is in danger if he visits the oil-rich Niger Delta region.
In a recording sent to IBTimes UK, a man is heard saying during a phone conversation with one of the hosts of UK-based Radio Biafra, that Buhari “should sign his death warrant” before his visit.
The president’s planned visit comes as attacks on oil pipelines blamed on the new group Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) partially halted oil production, and forced Chevron and Royal Dutch Shell to close at least two plants.
“Buhari is trying to visit Ogoniland, but he should sign his death warrant before coming to Port Harcourt or try to visit any state of the Niger Delta community, Biafra land,” the suspected NDA member said during the phone call.
“We are starting a dance he cannot finish. We shall dance like vultures. He [Buhari] has dared to wake a sleeping lion, but I promise him this time around if he tries to step his foot in any community of the Niger Delta, in Biafraland, he will not go back alive. Any Niger Deltan who will try to walk with Buhari shall also go to his grave that day. This is our assurance.”
The man also condemned the fact that Nigerian security forces opened fire on pro-Biafran demonstrators during commemorations to pay homage to the victims of the 1967-1970 Nigerian Civil War, also known as Biafran War, on Monday (30 May 2016).
Police confirmed the deaths of 10 protesters and two police officers during clashes in Anambra state, claiming demonstrators were armed. Pro-Biafrans denied the allegations.
“The Nigerian government shot and killed our brothers. They showed us are the monsters,” the man said. He then urged all pro-Biafrans to pray for their leader Nnamdi Kanu – director of radio Biafra and leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra [IPOB] – who is standing trial on six counts of treasonable felony charges.
However, Brigadier General Rabe Abubakar, Director of Defence Information, told IBTimes UK that the government does not perceive NDA as a threat.
“Niger Delta is part of Nigeria and will remain part of Nigeria for life. Buhari is the president, he is number one, he can go anywhere he wants,” he said.
“[The] NDA are just criminals and we are treating them as criminals. We are not being intimidated, we remain focussed to ensure security in the country and that Nigeria remains one. Nobody is above the interest of the country,” he continued.
“No nation can tolerate an individual group causing havoc and advocating for separation. There are measures in our constitution to ensure this will not happen. We cannot and will not tolerate what these people are doing. In the long run, they will surely pay for they have done.”
