Tinubu prays for Nigeria’s peace, security at lesser Hajj

President Bola Tinubu has described his Umrah pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia as spiritually fulfilling, saying he used the opportunity to pray for Nigeria. The president spoke with journalists shortly after performing the lesser Hajj in Makkah on Friday in an interview shared online by the Nigerian Television Authority. Asked what the spiritual exercise meant to him, particularly given his previous visit to Saudi Arabia ahead of the 2023 presidential election, Tinubu said it gave him a sense of fulfilment.

“I feel good, I feel fulfilled, gives me a sense of spiritual thing for me, and the country, and the children,” he said. “I believe the love of the people, the commitment to the job, and the visible commitment to our Allah’s wish, Inshallah, and there’s no other God but Allah,” Tinubu added. The President said he prayed for peace, harmony and happiness among Nigerians, urging the need for continued faith in God.

In a separate statement on Friday, his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed that Tinubu performed the Umrah early in the morning at the Grand Mosque, Masjid al-Haram. Onanuga said the president offered prayers of thanksgiving and sought Allah’s continued guidance and protection for Nigeria. He added that Tinubu prayed for national unity, lasting peace and stability, as well as an end to insecurity and other challenges confronting the country.

The president also expressed optimism about Nigeria’s economic and social development, reiterating his administration’s commitment to building a peaceful and prosperous nation.