Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari has completed an eight-day official visit to Saudi Arabia, during which he performed the Umrah, also known as the Lesser Hajj, News About Nigeria reports.
The President departed Saudi Arabia via King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah on Wednesday, where he was seen off by Saudi government officials, traditional and spiritual leaders from Nigeria, and senior staff of the Nigerian Embassy in the Kingdom.
The Umrah is a pilgrimage to Mecca that can be undertaken at any time of the year, unlike the Hajj, which has specific dates according to the Islamic lunar calendar.
During Umrah, pilgrims perform a set of rituals, including circumambulating the Kaaba seven times, walking between the hills of Safa and Marwa seven times, and shaving or cutting their hair.
President Buhari successfully completed the Umrah rituals under tight security upon his arrival at the Grand Mosque in Makkah on Thursday morning. Accompanied by members of his entourage as well as traditional and religious leaders from across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, the President was led by a delegation from the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque in the performance of the rituals.
Prior to his pilgrimage, President Buhari visited some historic religious sites in Madinah on Tuesday and Wednesday. This included the Prophet’s Mosque, which is one of the oldest mosques in the world and houses the tomb of the Prophet Muhammad.
The Nigerian President also visited the Quba Mosque, which is the first mosque in Islamic history and is known for its architectural significance.
As the fasting month of Ramadan comes to an end, Muslims around the world are preparing for Eid al-Fitr, the “festival of breaking the fast.”
The celebration marks the end of Ramadan and is likely to be held this weekend.
In addition to his religious obligations, President Buhari also met with Saudi Arabian leaders during his visit. The President held talks with King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to discuss ways to strengthen the bilateral relationship between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia.
The leaders discussed a range of issues, including security cooperation, trade and investment, and efforts to combat terrorism and extremism.
