President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday evening returned to Nigeria after abruptly ending his private vacation in Paris, ahead of the expiration of emergency rule in Rivers State this week.
The presidential jet, an Airbus A330, landed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja at exactly 6:50 p.m. local time, marking Tinubu’s first appearance in the capital since departing on September 4. He had been scheduled to spend 10 days on leave between Paris and London, but returned several days earlier than planned.
No official statement was issued explaining the decision to cut short the European trip. However, Tinubu’s return comes just as political attention focuses on Rivers State, where the six-month period of emergency administration is set to end on Thursday, paving the way for the reinstatement of democratic governance.
At 73, Tinubu has maintained an active international travel schedule since assuming office, embarking on at least 15 foreign trips in 2025 alone, often mixing official duties with periods of rest. His last known holiday was in April, when he spent about 14 working days between Paris and London.
The President is expected to resume official duties immediately as the nation prepares for a sensitive political transition in Rivers, where he imposed emergency rule in March following protracted political unrest and security breaches.
