Welcome to Vanessa Michaels' Blog!
THE Federal Government’s efforts at saving the embattled detained female Nigerian pilgrims in Saudi Arabia is yet to yield positive results as 908 female pilgrims will arrive in Nigeria this morning.
Of the 908, Ogun State is said to have 94; Osun 76 and Oyo 23. Others are pilgrims from Jigawa, Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara states.
Yesterday, another 102 female pilgrims from Sokoto State were deported.
This is just as the National Hajj Commission, on Thursday halted the hajj operations for two days.
The Public Relations Officer, Sokoto State Pilgrim Welfare Board, Alhaji Faruk Umar, said the deported female pilgrims arrived at the Sultan Abubakar International Airport by 5.30 a.m.
He said the deportees were airlifted to the holy land on Wednesday morning, only to be deported the following day.
He, however, said the women were not part of the 1,000 female Nigerian pilgrims earlier detained by the Saudi authorities.
On Wednesday, 171 Nigerian female pilgrims who were not allowed into the holy land were deported to Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano.
The Saudi authorities had hinged its position to detain and deport the pilgrims on the alleged non-compliance with laid down rules which require a female pilgrim to be accompanied by male chaperons.
The Nigerian government had earlier given the Saudi authorities a 24-hour ultimatum to resolve the crisis when the Saudi Ambassador to Nigeria, Khaled O.Y Abdrabuh was summoned to explain the development on Wednesday.
The Head of Media at the Commission, Alhaji Uba Mana, told Nigerian Tribune by telephone on Thursday at about 7.44 p.m. that a total of 510 female pilgrims were on their way back to Nigeria.
He noted that the "problem" had not been solved as of the time of the call.
The spokesman hinted that the Federal Government's delegation, led by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Aminu Tambuwal, was on stand-by to meet with Saudi authorities on ways to resolve the embarrassing situation.
But Saudi’s ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Abdrabuh on Thursday promised that the Saudi authorities will, within 24 hours, address the problem being faced by about 1,000 Nigerian female pilgrims in his homeland.
Nigerian Tribune recalls that about 1,000 Nigerian female pilgrims were detained by the Saudi authorities over alleged non-compliance with their visa laws.
The Saudi ambassador dropped the hint while speaking to newsmen after closed door meeting with Honourable Tambuwal, saying that the issue of detention of female pilgrims that failed to meet entry requirements was not restricted to Nigeria alone.
To this end, he disclosed that "officials of the Saudi Ministry of Hajj were already holding talks with a delegation of Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Mecca on the issue".
Honourable Tambuwal, who also spoke with newsmen said, "Nigerian mission in Riyadh has been meeting with the Saudi authorities to resolve the situation.”
THE Federal Government’s efforts at saving the embattled detained female Nigerian pilgrims in Saudi Arabia is yet to yield positive results as 908 female pilgrims will arrive in Nigeria this morning.
Of the 908, Ogun State is said to have 94; Osun 76 and Oyo 23. Others are pilgrims from Jigawa, Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara states.
Yesterday, another 102 female pilgrims from Sokoto State were deported.
This is just as the National Hajj Commission, on Thursday halted the hajj operations for two days.
The Public Relations Officer, Sokoto State Pilgrim Welfare Board, Alhaji Faruk Umar, said the deported female pilgrims arrived at the Sultan Abubakar International Airport by 5.30 a.m.
He said the deportees were airlifted to the holy land on Wednesday morning, only to be deported the following day.
He, however, said the women were not part of the 1,000 female Nigerian pilgrims earlier detained by the Saudi authorities.
On Wednesday, 171 Nigerian female pilgrims who were not allowed into the holy land were deported to Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano.
The Saudi authorities had hinged its position to detain and deport the pilgrims on the alleged non-compliance with laid down rules which require a female pilgrim to be accompanied by male chaperons.
The Nigerian government had earlier given the Saudi authorities a 24-hour ultimatum to resolve the crisis when the Saudi Ambassador to Nigeria, Khaled O.Y Abdrabuh was summoned to explain the development on Wednesday.
The Head of Media at the Commission, Alhaji Uba Mana, told Nigerian Tribune by telephone on Thursday at about 7.44 p.m. that a total of 510 female pilgrims were on their way back to Nigeria.
He noted that the "problem" had not been solved as of the time of the call.
The spokesman hinted that the Federal Government's delegation, led by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Aminu Tambuwal, was on stand-by to meet with Saudi authorities on ways to resolve the embarrassing situation.
But Saudi’s ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Abdrabuh on Thursday promised that the Saudi authorities will, within 24 hours, address the problem being faced by about 1,000 Nigerian female pilgrims in his homeland.
Nigerian Tribune recalls that about 1,000 Nigerian female pilgrims were detained by the Saudi authorities over alleged non-compliance with their visa laws.
The Saudi ambassador dropped the hint while speaking to newsmen after closed door meeting with Honourable Tambuwal, saying that the issue of detention of female pilgrims that failed to meet entry requirements was not restricted to Nigeria alone.
To this end, he disclosed that "officials of the Saudi Ministry of Hajj were already holding talks with a delegation of Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Mecca on the issue".
Honourable Tambuwal, who also spoke with newsmen said, "Nigerian mission in Riyadh has been meeting with the Saudi authorities to resolve the situation.”
No comments:
Post a Comment