President Muhamadu Buhari arrives Nigeria

President Muhamadu Buhari has
returned to Nigeria, after 51 days on
vacation in London, United Kingdom.
PREMIUM TIMES correspondent in
Kaduna said a presidential jet, 5N-FGN,
conveying the president landed at
exactly 7:40 a.m. at the Nigerian Air
Force Base in the city.
Mr. Buhari was dressed in a black
caftan with a black cap to march, and
was received by Kaduna officials,
amidst tight security.
He was immediately taken into a
waiting helicopter to Abuja.
“Only select journalists were allowed
to take photos and record video of his
landing and take off,” our reporter
says.
Femi Adesina, the special adviser on
media and publicity to the president,
said Mr. Buhari’s plane landed in
Kaduna well after 7.am today in
Kaduna, debunking earlier reports that
the president flew in at about 4.am.
“We are now at the helipad at the Aso
Villa awaiting his arrival from
Kaduna. The flight will take about 40
minutes,” Mr. Adesina said in an
interview with the News Agency of
Nigeria.
In Kaduna, President Buhari was
received by Deputy Governor
Barnabas Yusuf Bala.
An excited Kaduna governor, Nasir el-Rufai, said on
Facebook:
“The President is back. He has landed safely in
Kaduna and received by Acting Governor Barnabas
Yusuf Bala and senior KDSG officials. The
government and people of Kaduna State are proud to
receive our First Citizen back to his home to face the
task of rebuilding Nigeria. Alhamdulillah. Jumaat
Mubarak to everyone.”
Mr. Adesina had announced Thursday that President
Muhammadu Buhari would return to Nigeria Friday
(today).
Mr. Buhari left Nigeria on 19 January 19 for a
vacation in London and was scheduled to return to
work on 6 February.
During his visit to UK, he also said he would conduct
some medical checks.
However, a day to his resumption, he requested for
an extension of his holiday, following the
recommendation of his doctors that he wait for
further tests and rest.
According to Mr. Adesina, President Buhari expressed
appreciation to teeming Nigerians from across the
country, and beyond, who had prayed fervently for
him, and also sent him their good wishes.
While in London, the president received visitors at
his base in the British capital, and made telephone
calls to dignitaries in Nigeria.
There are widespread speculations in Nigeria that he
is unwell but the presidency has repeatedly
dismissed the insinuations.