The federal government has urged all Air Peace passengers whose visas were canceled and deported in Saudi Arabia to remain calm and announced that an investigation into the “unfortunate” incident has been launched.
According to a statement issued by Foreign Ministry spokesperson Francisca Omayuri, reports from the Nigerian Consulate in Jeddah indicate that Air Peace flight P4-752 transported 264 passengers from Murtala Mohammed International Airport and Aminu Kano International Airport in Lagos to Jeddah on November 13 It landed at King Abdul Aziz International Airport – Hajj Terminal.
Upon arrival at the Hajj Terminal, the Saudi immigration authorities informed the passengers that their visas had been cancelled, and 177 passengers boarded the same flight back to Nigeria.
Eighty-seven of the passengers passed through immigration and were allowed to enter Jeddah.
Omayyili said that the Saudi authorities have yet to explain why they revoked the visas and banned the 18 passengers from Saudi Arabia altogether, citing various crimes they had committed in the past.
He said, “Nigeria and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are traditional and strategic partners who wish to prevent the recurrence of such unfortunate incidents.
Investigations in this regard are ongoing in both Nigeria and Saudi Arabia. We therefore ask the affected passengers to remain calm while this matter is resolved,” the statement quoted Omayuri as saying.