By Samuel Olusegun Precious
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is expected to jet out of the country today, Thursday 29, October 2026 to Makkah, Saudi Arabia, for Umrah, the Presidency has announced.
The trip, described as a spiritual exercise for prayers for the nation, comes amid mounting public concerns over the frequency of the President’s foreign travels.
In a statement on Wednesday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency said Tinubu will use the pilgrimage to the Holy City to pray 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,” Onanuga said.
Before leaving, the President is scheduled to commission newly acquired operational equipment for the Nigerian Air Force at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
The President is expected to return next week after completing the spiritual exercise.The Umrah trip will be one of several foreign trips undertaken by President Tinubu in recent months, a development that has continued to spark debate among Nigerians over cost and timing.