Visa of 264 Nigerian Passengers Cancelled by Saudi Arabia upon Arrival in Jeddah

On Monday, November 13, approximately 264 Nigerian passengers who had flown from Lagos and Kano States to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia were denied entry into the country, Aso Naija Reports.

The majority of these individuals were planning to perform the lesser Hajj (Umrah) and were turned away at the airport shortly after their arrival via Air Peace airline.

The Saudi Arabian authorities canceled their visas and instructed the airline to return them to Nigeria. The flight had departed from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, made a stop at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano, and landed at the King Abdul-Aziz International Airport in Jeddah. Despite going through the Advanced Passengers Information System (APIS) during check-in procedures in Nigeria, which was also monitored by the Saudi authorities, the passengers’ visas were unexpectedly canceled.

Air Peace had recently launched a direct flight to Jeddah, which had been experiencing high demand. It is suspected that this visa cancellation may be an attempt to hinder the Nigerian carrier’s operations on the route, as some individuals may not be pleased with Air Peace’s competitive fares compared to other foreign airlines.

The number of passengers to be returned was later reduced to 177 after the Nigerian embassy intervened with the Saudi authorities.