Controversial visa cancellations strain Saudi-Nigeria relations
Diplomatic tensions rise as 177 Nigerians are denied entry to Saudi Arabia, sparking a spotlight on strained relations between the two countries
Diplomatic tensions between Saudi Arabia and Nigeria have heightened following the rejection of 177 Nigerians attempting to enter the country on Monday. Out of the 264 Nigerian nationals who arrived in Jeddah on an Air Peace flight, only 87 were granted entry, while the rest had their visas invalidated and were subsequently deported.
Some of the passengers on the flight were reported as pilgrims aiming to carry out the Umrah, also known as the lesser Hajj, in Mecca, the sacred city of Islam. The cancellation of visas for these individuals happened simultaneously with President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria's presence in Saudi Arabia, where he had conducted bilateral discussions with the Saudi government.
The Saudi embassy in Nigeria stated that the passengers involved in the incident on social media did not meet the necessary entry conditions and requirements according to the Kingdom's rules and regulations. They had submitted incorrect information to obtain a visa category that was not applicable to them, which was only discovered upon their arrival. As per the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah's regulations, individuals with tourist visas are not allowed to participate in Hajj or Umrah during the Hajj season.
It is unclear what type of visas the deported Nigerians had obtained for their travel. However, Air Peace, the Nigerian airline which transported them to Jeddah, expressed surprise that their passengers' visas were revoked by Saudi Arabia upon arrival. The airline stated that it had strictly adhered to the profiling procedures mandated by the Saudi Arabian authorities. "Before departure," the airline said in a statement on Wednesday, "the visas of all passengers on the flight to Jeddah were thoroughly checked, verified, and confirmed to be valid. Despite the transmission of their details, no notice of cancellation or denial from the Saudi authorities was received regarding any of these passengers."
The cancellations mentioned in the Saudi statement are not only applicable to Nigerian citizens. It is important for all passengers to carefully review their documents and ensure they comply with the conditions before traveling to the Kingdom.
A diplomatic slap
Commentators labeled the incident as an embarrassment for Nigeria, given that its president was still in the country following his participation in the Saudi-Africa Summit held last Friday. As per the presidency's statement, he departed on Thursday morning to partake in the Independence Day festivities in Guinea Bissau. Victor Okhai, a member of the advisory board of the African Diaspora Foundation, a group dedicated to advocating for the welfare of the African diaspora, expressed to CNN that this occurrence undoubtedly represented a significant diplomatic blow.
Okhai criticized the insensitivity of Saudi officials during President's visit to their country, while Reno Omokiri, a former Nigerian presidential aide, labeled Saudi Arabia's actions as embarrassing and damaging to the bilateral relations.
"Why did the Saudis withdraw the visas of more than one hundred passengers on an Air Peace flight to Jeddah, particularly when Nigeria's President is presently in Saudi Arabia? This development does not bode well for bilateral relations and it is highly embarrassing... it shows a complete lack of respect for Nigeria as a whole," Omokri shared on X, previously known as Twitter earlier this week.
The UAE's Dubai emirate has been a popular destination for Nigerian travelers for many years.
KARIM SAHIB/AFP via Getty Images
UAE official says visa restrictions not lifted for Nigerians
Other Nigerians called for the Saudi ambassador to the country to be summoned.
Nigerians have encountered visa entry challenges in neighboring countries within the region.
Despite efforts made by Tinubu, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia's neighbor, continues to enforce a one-year visa suspension for Nigerian travelers.
A statement from Tinubu's office declared the ban to be lifted shortly after his meeting with UAE leader, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in September. However, a UAE official informed CNN that the embargo had not yet been lifted.
Saudi Arabia attracts thousands of Nigerian Muslims as a favored pilgrimage destination.
However, Mondays deportation of Nigerian nationals is not the first time travelers have been refused entry to Saudi Arabia.
Nigerian Hajj pilgrims leave the airport after being denied entry by Saudi Arabian officials.
AFP/Getty Images
Saudi Arabia deported over 1,000 female pilgrims from Nigeria in 2012 due to their arrival in the country without male chaperones.
Nigeria's government is making efforts to prevent a repeat of this incident and acknowledges that, as a sovereign nation, it has the right to determine who enters its territory. However, Nigeria and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have a longstanding partnership and are committed to safeguarding against any future occurrences, according to the country's foreign ministry.
