PHOTOS: Green-white-green barriers surround Ka’bah ahead of Tinubu’s visit

Painted in Nigeria's green-white-green colors, temporary barriers were erected around the Holy Ka'bah in Makkah as President Bola Tinubu prepared to visit the sacred site on Monday. The Nigerian leader had journeyed to Saudi Arabia to perform the Umrah, an Islamic rite involving a visit to the Grand Mosque and a series of prescribed acts of worship, but not a substitute for the Hajj pilgrimage.

During his Umrah, Tinubu was granted the rare privilege of entering the Ka'bah to offer prayers. The barriers, as reported by Inside The Haramain, were temporarily placed to surround the Ka'bah, with the president set to enter later that evening. In a statement, the president reiterated his commitment to Nigeria's development and thanked King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for granting his delegation access to the sacred site.

He described the experience as historic and cherished, highlighting the longstanding friendship between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia. The president also expressed gratitude for the faith and recognition shown to him, as well as the opportunity to pray inside the Ka'bah, calling it a rare spiritual privilege.