President Muhammadu Buhari, on Tuesday returned to Nigeria after performing the Umrah (lesser pilgrimage) in Saudi Arabia.
The aircraft conveying the president and members of his entourage which took-off from the Royal terminal of King Abdul’aziz International Airport around 2pm landed at the presidential wing of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja at 6.34pm.
Abba Kyari, the President’s Chief of Staff; Muhammed Bello, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT); Muhammed Adamu, Acting Inspector-general of Police, and other government functionaries were at the airport to welcome the president.
While in Makkah, Buhari, who performed the lesser hajj alongside his wife, associates and aides, also held iftar dinner meetings with prominent Nigerians, including Bola Tinubu, a national leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The President also had iftar dinner meeting with His Eminence Sa’ad Abubakar, Sultan of Sokoto, and Hussaini Adamu, Emir of Kazaure, where special prayers were offered for Nigeria to achieve total peace and stability.
Buhari is expected to preside over the valedictory session of the federal executive council (FEC) on Wednesday, barely a week before his inauguration for another four-year tenure.