Chants opposing the President were heard as his convoy prepared to leave Shehu Shagari Central Mosque. Witnesses said blocked entrances and restrictions on movement had angered worshippers, though the crowd’s size and the precise causes of the protest could not be independently established from the accounts provided.
By Aisha Umar
Abuja — Friday
President Bola Tinubu was booed by some worshippers and residents outside Shehu Shagari Central Mosque in Garki, Abuja, after Friday prayers, as his convoy prepared to depart amid chants opposing his administration.
Footage reported to have been obtained at the scene appears to show people chanting “Ba mayi, ba ma so”—a Hausa expression translated as “We don’t want you; we don’t support you.” Others reportedly shouted, “Tinubu Must Go,” a slogan associated with opposition to the President’s re-election bid ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Accounts from people at the mosque suggest that the reaction may have been driven, at least in part, by restrictions imposed during the presidential visit. Those accounts have not established that security arrangements were the sole cause of the chants.
Witnesses cite blocked access and movement restrictions
An eyewitness who attended the prayers, and requested anonymity, said Tinubu arrived at about 1:49 p.m. By then, access to the mosque had reportedly been restricted.
The witness said security personnel prevented people from entering after the President arrived, while roads leading to the premises were blocked. Some security officers were also reportedly positioned along the mosque’s perimeter fences.
According to the eyewitness, restrictions continued after prayers, with worshippers unable to leave until the President’s departure. Some of those affected, the source said, directed their frustration at Tinubu as his convoy prepared to leave.
A second source at the mosque also attributed the booing partly to the security operation, saying people were stopped from entering after the President had arrived and that several were left outside. The source said the chants began in the area where people had been barricaded.
The accounts point to a possible link between the security measures and the protest, but they do not independently establish how many people took part or whether everyone chanting was a worshipper.
Sermon focused on faith and national peace
During the prayer session, the mosque’s Chief Imam, Rabiu Suleiman, delivered a sermon on lessons from Surah Al-Fatihah, the opening chapter of the Quran. He urged Muslims to uphold the oneness of Allah and seek steadfastness through Him.
The Imam also prayed for Tinubu’s health and for peace in Nigeria, asking Allah to grant the President greater wisdom and guide him towards leading the country to prosperity.
Tinubu was accompanied by National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu; Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila; Special Adviser on Political Affairs Ibrahim Masari; and former Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje.
A public reaction amid early 2027 political activity
The incident comes as political activity gathers pace ahead of the 2027 general elections and debate continues over public dissatisfaction, presidential security arrangements and how political leaders are received in public spaces.
The chants were directed at Tinubu as his convoy departed, but the available accounts do not establish that they represent the views of all worshippers or Abuja residents. The reported restrictions, meanwhile, raise questions about how security measures for high-profile visits affect access to places of worship and the movement of the public.
The episode combined visible political dissent with complaints about access and movement during a presidential visit. While witnesses said the restrictions contributed to the anger, further independent verification would be needed to determine the protest’s scale, the full sequence of events and the extent to which security arrangements shaped the crowd’s response.
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