President Bola Tinubu was booed by some aggrieved Nigerians at the Shehu Shagari Central Mosque in Abuja on Friday shortly after observing his Juma’at prayers.
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Several video clips obtained by PREMIUM TIMES showed people chanting slogans against the president as his convoy left the mosque.
An eyewitness who attended the prayers told PREMIUM TIMES that the protest may have been triggered by the restrictions imposed on worshippers because of the president’s visit.
The eyewitness, who asked not to be named, said Mr Tinubu arrived at the mosque at about 1:49 p.m., by which time access to the premises had been restricted.
According to the source, security operatives prevented people from entering the mosque after the president arrived. Roads leading to the mosque were also blocked, while some security personnel mounted the mosque’s perimeter fences as part of the security arrangements.
The restrictions continued after the prayers, with worshippers prevented from leaving until the president departed, the eyewitness said.
The source said some people expressed their frustration by chanting “Ba mayi, ba ma so,” a Hausa expression loosely translated as “We are not supporting you.”
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Others chanted “Tinubu Must Go,” a slogan associated with opposition to the president’s re-election bid.
Another source at the mosque also attributed the booing partly to the security arrangements, which the source described as excessive.
“People were stopped from entering the mosque after the president had entered. Several people were stuck outside,” the source said.
The source added that worshippers were also prevented from leaving until Mr Tinubu departed, and that the booing started from the area where people had been barricaded.
The incident occurred as the president faces growing political contestation ahead of the next presidential election.
Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga didn’t respond to calls as of the time of filing this report.
Friday sermon
During the service, the Chief Imam of the Shehu Shagari Central Mosque, Area 1, Garki, Rabiu Suleiman, delivered a sermon based on lessons from Surah Al-Fatihah, the first chapter of the Quran.
The imam urged Muslims to uphold the oneness of Allah and seek steadfastness through Him.
He also prayed for peace and the president’s good health, asking Allah to grant Mr Tinubu greater wisdom and guide him towards leading Nigeria to prosperity.
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Mr Suleiman acknowledged the president’s contribution to the renovation of the historic mosque.
The president was accompanied by the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; his Special Adviser on Political Affairs, Ibrahim Masari; Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila; and former Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje.
The presidential election is scheduled for January.
Mr Tinubu is expected to face major challenges from opposition figures, including Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).