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President Bola Tinubu has left Abuja for Makkah, Saudi Arabia, to perform Umrah, an Islamic pilgrimage and also pray for Nigeria.
The presidential Airbus A330-200 departed at 2:20 p.m. local time on Thursday.
Tinubu was seen off at the airport by several governors, including AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara, Babagana Zulum of Borno, Uba Sani of Kaduna, Ahmad Aliyu of Sokoto, Umar Namadi of Jigawa and Mai Mala Buni of Yobe.
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Departure ceremony for President Tinubu as he goes to Makkah for prayers https://t.co/2IbNIJvOhL
— Bayo Onanuga, OON, CON (@aonanuga1956) October 29, 2026
Also present were the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume; 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 trip is intended to provide time for religious devotion and reflection, with prayers for Nigeria’s peace, unity, stability and development.
Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, announced the trip in a statement issued on Wednesday titled, “President Tinubu Departs Abuja for Makkah to Pray for the Nation”.
According to the statement, Tinubu will observe the religious rites of Umrah and seek divine guidance and blessings for Nigeria and its citizens.
Before leaving Abuja, the President commissioned equipment acquired by the Nigerian Air Force for its operations at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.
He is expected to return to Nigeria next week after completing the pilgrimage.
The trip marks Tinubu’s second Umrah visit since taking office in May 2023.
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He previously travelled to Makkah in November 2023, shortly after attending the Saudi-African Summit in Riyadh, where he also prayed for guidance in leading Nigeria.
The latest journey adds to Tinubu’s foreign travels since assuming office on May 29, 2023.
His international engagements have taken him to more than 30 countries across Africa, Europe, Asia, the Americas and the Middle East for bilateral meetings, multilateral summits and other diplomatic assignments.
