President Tinubu Departs Abuja For Saudi Arabia to Pray For Nigeria

President Bola Tinubu has departed Abuja for Makkah, Saudi Arabia, to perform Umrah, an Islamic pilgrimage, and offer prayers for Nigeria.

The President’s Airbus A330-200 took off at 2:20 pm local time on Thursday.

Tinubu was seen off at the airport by several governors, including AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, Babagana Zulum of Borno, Uba Sani of Kaduna, Ahmad Aliyu of Sokoto, Umar Namadi of Jigawa and Mai Mala Buni of Yobe.

Also present were the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume; the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi; and Nigeria’s Ambassador to Mexico, Reno Omokri, alongside other government officials.

The President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, had earlier announced the trip in a statement titled, ‘President Tinubu departs Abuja for Makkah to pray for the nation.’

According to the statement, the visit will provide Tinubu with an opportunity for spiritual reflection and prayers for Nigeria’s peace, unity, stability and continued progress.

“While in Makkah, President Tinubu will perform the religious rites associated with Umrah, seeking Allah’s guidance and blessings for Nigeria and its people,” the statement added.

Before departing Abuja, Tinubu commissioned equipment acquired by the Nigerian Air Force for its operations at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.

The President is expected to return to Nigeria next week after completing the spiritual exercise.

The visit marks Tinubu’s second Umrah pilgrimage since assuming office in May 2023. He previously visited Makkah in November 2023, shortly after attending the Saudi-African Summit in Riyadh.