LAGOS - Nigerians on Sunday celebrated the return of President Muhammadu Buhari with thanksgiving services after his prolonged absence abroad for medical treatment, a period that stoked tension in a divided nation.
Early morning services were held in churches across the vast west African country, including the seat of government, Aso Villa, in Abuja.
Buhari left Nigeria on May 7 for his second break of treatment in Britain this year for an unspecified medical condition, on the heels of a spell of two months.
The 74-year-old returned to the capital on Saturday to a welcome from thousands of supporters, who lined the roads.
Buhari, a retired general elected in 2015, temporarily handed power to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to allay fears of a leadership vacuum in a country deeply divided along ethnic and religious faultlines.
On Sunday, Osinbajo, a southern Christian, led other worshippers at a thanksgiving service at the Aso Villa chapel to celebrate the return of his boss.
The congregation sang hymns in Nigeria's three main languages of Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo to praise God for Buhari's recovery, local media reported.
"We want to rejoice with our father, acting president Yemi Osinbajo, for the safe return of our president and our father, Muhammadu Buhari," said Reverend Isaac Ambi.
"We also want to thank God on how he has used Osinbajo in piloting the affairs of Nigeria while the president was away."
Buhari's ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) issued a statement celebrating his return and praised his deputy for steering the affairs of the country while he was away.
It urged the two leaders to continue to work together to improve the welfare of Nigerians.
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