Tinubu heads to Saudi for Umrah weeks after month-long Europe trip

The earlier trip lasted longer than the 21-day vacation initially announced by the Presidency.

The planned trip comes as Nigeria continues to grapple with deadly attacks on communities, including the killing of at least 62 people in Binnari, a rural community in Taraba State, where thousands were reportedly displaced.

According to a statement issued by the Presidency on Wednesday, October 28, Tinubu will travel to Makkah, Saudi Arabia, for the lesser Islamic pilgrimage, during which he will ‘pray’ for Nigeria’s peace, unity, stability and progress.

The president is expected to return to Nigeria next week after completing the religious exercise.

However, the statement did not specify his exact return date or the duration of his stay in Saudi Arabia.

Before departing Abuja, Tinubu is scheduled to commission equipment acquired by the Nigerian Air Force at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, according to the statement.

Although the Presidency described the trip as an opportunity for spiritual reflection and prayers for the country, the announcement comes amid renewed concerns about insecurity and the president’s availability to oversee national affairs.

The ICIR reports that Tinubu left Abuja for Europe on August 30, 2026, for what the Presidency described as a three-week vacation as part of his annual leave.

In a statement announcing the trip, Bayo Onanuga, the president’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, said Tinubu would return after the working vacation to join the campaign for the January 2027 election.

However, the president remained abroad beyond the initial period. On September 21, the Presidency announced that he had extended his stay by a few days and would return days later.

He eventually returned to Nigeria on September 29, after spending about four weeks in Europe. He had spent time in London before travelling to Paris, France, where he was said to have held meetings with French President Emmanuel Macron and business people.

The Presidency said Tinubu remained in touch with developments in Nigeria and continued to direct government affairs while away. It also cited his involvement in official matters, including an order for an independent panel to investigate the deaths of 37 miners in Minna, Niger State.

However, the extension attracted criticism from opposition figures and renewed debate about presidential accountability during prolonged foreign trips.

After returning to Nigeria, Tinubu resumed public engagements that included activities linked to the ruling All Progressives Congress’s preparations for the 2027 general election.

On October 14, he inaugurated the APC Presidential Campaign Council in Abuja. The council is responsible for coordinating the party’s mobilisation, communications and campaign activities ahead of the presidential election.

The party subsequently scheduled its campaign flag-off for October 24 in Kaduna State, followed by planned engagements in Rivers and Borno states.

The ICIR also reports that Tinubu’s planned departure is coming days after gunmen killed at least 62 people in Binnari, a rural community in Karim-Lamido Local Government Area of Taraba State, highlighting the continuing threat to civilians in parts of Nigeria.

The attack occurred on October 23, the community’s weekly market day, when traders and buyers from neighbouring settlements gathered to exchange farm produce and other goods.

According to reports, the gunmen operated for about four hours, shooting residents, looting shops and setting houses ablaze as people fled for safety.

The Taraba State Police Command said the death toll had risen to 58 as of October 26, including 15 people who drowned when a canoe capsized while they attempted to escape.

By October 27, the National Emergency Management Agency had confirmed at least 62 deaths, according to Al Jazeera and The Associated Press.

Thousands of people were also displaced by the attack, while homes, shops, food supplies and motorcycles were reportedly destroyed or looted.

The killings form part of Nigeria’s wider security crisis, which includes banditry, kidnappings, communal violence and attacks on rural settlements.

Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: [email protected]. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M

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