Tinubu’s Extended Europe Trip Raises Questions Over Governance and Miners’ Deaths

President Bola Tinubu left Abuja on 30 August 2026 for a three-week working vacation in Europe. His trip included engagements in Paris, but its extension has raised questions about his location, his decision to miss the UN General Assembly and the constitutional implications of his absence. I believe the issue became more serious because Vice President Kashim Shettima was also abroad during part of the period. Tinubu did not transmit a vacation letter to the National Assembly, prompting debate over Section 145 of the Constitution and whether the Vice President should have been formally empowered as Acting President. The Presidency says the President has continued to direct government remotely. The trip also coincided with public outrage over the deaths of 37 artisanal miners in NSCDC custody in Niger State. While the NSCDC has arrested personnel and suspended its state commandant, questions remain about the operation, the treatment of detainees and whether those behind illegal-mining cartels will face accountability. I also question whether the President’s absence from UNGA helped him avoid difficult international scrutiny over the custodial deaths. The government must provide transparent answers on the miners’ deaths, enforcement operations and who bears responsibility.

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