* The President was said to have prayed for lasting peace, national security, unity and economic prosperity.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu returned to Abuja yesterday night after completing the Umrah (Lesser Hajj) pilgrimage in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
While there, he offered special prayers for Nigeria’s peace, security, unity and prosperity.
His aircraft touched down at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, at exactly 8.53 pm, bringing to an end his five-day visit to the oil-rich Asian kingdom .
The President was received on arrival by his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, five governors– Uba Sani (Kaduna) , Ahmad Sokoto (Sokoto), Babagana Zulum (Borno), Umar Namadi (Jigawa) and Mai Mala Buni (Yobe) –as well as other senior government officials.
The others were Education Minister Tunji Alausa; Minister of State for Defence Bello Matawalle; and Director of Protocol at the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ibrahim Agundi.
President Tinubu had departed the Royal Terminal of King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah following the completion of the pilgrimage.
Before leaving Saudi Arabia, the President held a brief meeting with the Deputy Governor of the Makkah Region, Prince Saud bin Mishaal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, at the Royal Guest Palace.
The Saudi official, alongside Nigeria’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Yakubu Gambo and Consul-General, Ambassador Muazam Ibrahim Nayaya, accompanied him to the airport.
During his stay in Makkah, the President performed the Umrah rites, including the circumambulation of the Holy Kaaba at Masjid al-Haram, the Grand Mosque, where he offered prayers for Nigeria and its people.
A major highlight of the pilgrimage was the rare privilege granted him and members of his delegation to enter the Holy Kaaba last Sunday, where they performed special prayers.
Inside the sacred structure, the President prayed for lasting peace, national security, unity and economic prosperity. He also sought divine wisdom, strength and resilience to discharge his responsibilities.
Reflecting on the experience, President Tinubu reaffirmed his commitment to Project Nigeria and his determination to build a prosperous country, invest in the future of young Nigerians and pursue national development.
He also prayed that Nigeria’s religious, ethnic and cultural diversity would become a source of national strength and shared prosperity rather than division.
“Our strength is our diversity, and we continue to build on that for the prospect and security of the country”, the President declared during the pilgrimage.
