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From Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja
The Nigerian Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Ambassador Yahaya Lawal, has said that the Nigerian Mission in Saudi Arabia is awaiting the formal response of the Saudi government over the cancellation of visas of 264 Nigerian passengers.
Lawal, while responding to Daily Sun’s enquiries over the development, said: “Yes an Air Peace flight arrived early today at the King Abdul-Aziz International Airport in Jeddah with 264 Nigerian passengers on board.
“Most of the passengers who arrived had business visas which were valid at the point of departure from Nigeria, but on arrival, the visas did not allow because they were cancelled.”
Lawal, a former Senior Special Assistant to former President Muhammadu Buhari on Foreign Affairs, further said the attention of the Embassy was drawn to the issue and it immediately waded into the matter seeking for answers from the host authorities.
“Their formal reaction is being awaited,” Lawal told our correspondent.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, has said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is investigating the matter to see if any consular or aviation rules have been flouted.
The Special Assistant, Media and Communications Strategy to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Alkasim Abdulkadir, in a statement issued in Abuja, said the Ministry will ensure such actions that impact the welfare of Nigerian citizens are mitigated in the future in line with the 4 Ds strategy of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“Nigeria has just participated in the Saudi-Africa Summit were bilateral discussions covering several sectors of the economy and mutually beneficial commitments were made,” Tuggar said.
