Buhari Returns to Abuja After Eight-day Official Trip to Saudi Arabia

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday returned to Abuja, after his eight-day official visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where he also performed the Umrah (Lesser Hajj).

The presidential aircraft landed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport at 5:08 pm, after nearly seven hours for a four to five hour Jeddah-Abuja flight due to the ongoing situation in Sudan that warrants the avoidance of the country’s entire airspace by air traffic.

According to a statement issued by presidential spokesperson, Mallam Garba Shehu, the rerouted aircraft flew from Jeddah, in Saudi Arabia through Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, DRC, Central African Republic, Cameroon and eventually Nigeria.

Upon his safe arrival in Abuja, the president was received at the presidential wing of the airport by top government officials including the Chief of Staff, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari; Deputy Inspector General of Police, Danmallam Mohammed, representing the Inspector General of Police and the Director General, Department of State Services (DSS), Yusuf Magaji Bich