Saudi Arabia Deports 177 Nigerian Pilgrims For Allegedly Violating Visa Rules

Saudi Arabia has deported 177 Nigerians accusing them of violating the country's visa rules.

They were on their way to Mecca for pilgrimage but Saudi authorities revoked their visas on arrival Monday.

Air Peace Flight No. P4-752 carrying 264 passengers from two Nigerian airports – the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos and the Aminu Kano International Airport – landed at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Monday.

Upon arrival at the Jeddah airport, Saudi immigration authorities informed 177 passengers that their visas were canceled. The remaining 87 passengers cleared the immigration process and were allowed to enter Jeddah.

The Saudi embassy in Abuja said the 177 Nigerians submitted incorrect information to get a particular category of visa that doesn't apply to them. It was discovered when they landed in Saudi Arabia.

"The passengers, who were denied entry, and subsequently deported to their initial destinations, did not fulfill the entry conditions and requirements in accordance with the applicable rules and regulations of the Kingdom, as they submitted incorrect information to obtain a category of visa that does not apply to them, which was discovered upon their arrival," the embassy said, Punch reported.

It is important for everyone to follow the procedures and laws enacted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the embassy said, and advised all passengers to review all "documents to determine their conformity with the conditions prior to departing from their countries to the Kingdom."

"This procedure was not limited to Nigerian citizens only, but rather to citizens of other countries," it added.

The clarification from the embassy came after local media reported about the deportation of Nigerian citizens at the point of entry into the kingdom.

Many social media users expressed anger at the Saudi Arabia embassy, calling the entire incident "humiliation of citizens."

Millions of people from around the world travel to Saudi Arabia every year to perform Hajj and Umrah – the sacred Muslim pilgrimage. Aside from religious reasons, Nigerian citizens also move to Saudi Arabia for work.

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) said last month that most of the doctors leave Nigeria after completing their education and initial training to work in Saudi Arabia and other countries, including Gambia, Somalia and Rwanda.