President Tinubu to 'pray for Nigeria' during Saudi Arabia trip
He last travelled to Mecca in 2022 as he was campaigning to become Nigeria's president.
President Tinubu to 'pray for Nigeria' during Saudi Arabia trip
President Bola Tinubu is aiming for a second term in office, and his party kicked off its campaign last weekend.
Nigeria's President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is heading to Mecca in Saudi Arabia to carry out the lesser Hajj pilgrimage, known as Umrah, where he will pray for the West African country, the presidency says.
The trip will give the 74-year-old president a chance for "spiritual reflection, devotion and prayers for Nigeria's peace, unity, stability and continued progress," his spokesman Bayo Onanuga said.
Tinubu, a Muslim from southern Nigeria, last went to Saudi Arabia for Umrah in 2022, while he was campaigning to become Nigeria's president.
The next election is in January, and the country's widespread security problems have become a major issue in the campaign.
Onanuga's statement said the president would "perform the religious rites associated with Umrah, seeking Allah's guidance and blessings for Nigeria and its people".
Unlike the Hajj, which takes place on fixed dates once a year and is a pilgrimage Muslims who are able must complete at least once in their lives, Umrah can be done at any time and includes a shorter set of religious rites.
Meanwhile, Tinubu's media aide Olusegun Dada has rejected speculation that the real purpose of the trip is for the president to undergo medical checks.
There was broad discussion about the president's health last weekend after a video spread on social media that appeared to show First Lady Oluremi Tinubu putting something into Tinubu's mouth at the election campaign launch for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) party.
There has been no official comment on the incident.
In a post on X, Dada said the president's trip was meant to offer "supplications for the country" and to place the president's re-election bid "into the hands of God" as he began "another major political journey".
According to a survey by US-based Pew Research Center, more than 90% of Nigerians say religion is "very important" in their lives - one of the highest proportions in the world.
Nigeria - Africa's most populous nation - is divided roughly equally between Christians and Muslims, with a small number of traditional believers.
"It is a regular practice among Muslims when they want to embark on any critical journey or attain a milestone," Dada said, adding that Tinubu had last performed the lesser Hajj before the APC's presidential primary in 2022.
The next elections are set for 16 January, when Tinubu's main challengers will once again be former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi.
As campaigning begins, the economy and insecurity are key concerns for voters.
The country is dealing with a range of security threats, including an Islamist insurgency, attacks by criminal gangs - known locally as "bandits" who loot and kidnap for ransom - clashes over land and separatist unrest.