President Bola Tinubu was booed by some aggrieved worshippers at the Shehu Shagari Central Mosque in Abuja on Friday shortly after observing his Juma’at prayers.
Videos obtained by LEADERSHIP showed some people chanting slogans against the president as his convoy departed the mosque.
An eyewitness who attended the prayers attributed the incident partly to restrictions imposed on worshippers during the president’s visit.
The source, who requested anonymity, said Tinubu arrived at the mosque at about 1:49 p.m., by which time access to the premises had been restricted.
According to the eyewitness, security operatives prevented people from entering the mosque after the president arrived, while roads leading to the facility were blocked.
Some security personnel also mounted the mosque’s perimeter fences as part of the security arrangements.
The restrictions reportedly continued after the prayers, with worshippers prevented from leaving until the president’s departure.
The eyewitness said some of those affected expressed their frustration by chanting “Ba mayi, ba ma so”, a Hausa expression loosely translated as “We are not supporting you”.
Others chanted “Tinubu Must Go”, a slogan associated with opposition to the president’s re-election bid.
Another source at the mosque also blamed the incident partly on what was described as excessive security arrangements.
The source said several worshippers were stranded outside after being prevented from entering the mosque, adding that the booing began in the area where people had been barricaded.
The incident comes amid growing political activities ahead of the next presidential election, scheduled for January.
Efforts to get a reaction from the Presidency were unsuccessful, as presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, did not 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 Tinubu greater wisdom and guide him towards leading Nigeria to prosperity.
Mr Suleiman also acknowledged the president’s contribution to the renovation of the historic mosque.
Tinubu 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 president is expected to face opposition from several political figures ahead of the election, including Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
