Nigerian Presidency Announces Tinubu’s Return to Abuja, Silent on Post-BRICS Whereabouts
On July 12, 2025, the Nigerian Presidency announced President Bola Tinubu’s return to Abuja after a two-nation visit to Saint Lucia and Brazil, where he attended the 17th BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro from July 6–7.
Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga shared the update on X, stating, “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu returns to Abuja today after his two-nation visit to Saint Lucia and Brazil.” However, the Nigerian Presidency remained silent on Tinubu’s whereabouts after the BRICS Summit, prompting public concern.
The lack of clarity about Tinubu’s post-BRICS whereabouts, following the summit’s conclusion on July 7, sparked reactions on X. One user, Obiasogu David (@afrisagacity), posted, “Went missing for over 4 days. Nigerians start asking, Where is he? Then, he reappears from nowhere to resume his chores. No explanation is given. No indictment is made. No sensibility shown.”
Another user, @femiwole, remarked, “He must have travelled by road.” The Nigerian Presidency had previously outlined Tinubu’s itinerary, stating, “President Bola Tinubu will depart Abuja on Saturday, June 28, 2025, on a two-nation visit to Saint Lucia and Brazil,” with stops to strengthen ties with Caribbean nations and attend the BRICS Summit.
Sources suggest Tinubu’s Saint Lucia visit, including courtesy calls on Governor-General Cyril Errol Melchiades Charles and Prime Minister Philip Pierre, may have served as a discreet cover for a medical consultation, facilitated by Gilbert Chagoury,
Saint Lucia’s Honorary Consul to the Vatican. One source noted, “It’s a clever decoy,” highlighting Chagoury’s role in arranging private meetings to avoid media scrutiny, similar to Tinubu’s Vatican visit for Pope Leo XIV’s inauguration in May 2025.
The Nigerian Presidency’s silence on Tinubu’s post-BRICS whereabouts continues to fuel public speculation about transparency.
