.177 travelers return to Nigeria
Barely days after the two countries agreed to deepen trade ties, a diplomatic row is brewing between Nigeria and the kingdom of Saudi Arabia following the rejection of Nigerian air travellers at Jeddah yesterday.
It was learnt that 264 passengers onboard Air Peace airlines had their visas canceled mid-air and without a prior notice.
On arriving at the King Abdulaziz International Airport, Jeddah, the Saudi authorities allegedly ordered the aircraft to make an air return with all the passengers back to Nigeria.
It will be recalled that following a bilateral meeting last week between President Bola Tinubu and Saudi’s Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, the government of the Arab nation pledged to invest in the revamp of Nigeria’s refineries, as well as provide financial support to sustain Nigeria’s foreign exchange reforms, among other agreements.
The pledge came about a week after Air Peace airlines launched direct scheduled flights on the Kano-Jeddah route. But in the second week of the international operations, all appears to be falling apart.
It was learnt that the Air Peace flight took off from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, via the Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano on Sunday night, and arrived in Saudi Arabia’s major city on Monday without issues.
But on landing, the Saudi Arabia authorities announced that all the passengers’ visas were canceled.
An official of the airline said all the development came as a shock because during check-in of the passengers, they went through Advanced Passengers Prescreening System (APPS), which were also monitored by the Saudi Arabia authorities before the flight left Nigeria.
“We wonder if that is a strategy to discourage the airline from operating to the destination because since it (Air Peace) started the operation, it has been recording high load factor and even the flight expected to leave on Tuesday to Jeddah was already fully booked,” he said.
It was learnt that when the Nigerian embassy waded in, Saudi authorities reduced the number of passengers that would be returned to 177.
“Saudi Air has been operating directly from Nigeria to Saudi Arabia and since Air Peace started flight service to the Middle East nation at relatively lower fares, it has been receiving high patronage as a Nigerian carrier. The development appears to us as a pushback from Saudi Arabia,” the official said.
Officials of the Nigerian embassy in Jeddah could not confirm the state of affairs.
A source said: “What is certain right now is that all those deported were 177 passengers and Air Peace has already left with them back to Nigeria. They are on their way to Nigeria now.”
Aviation Security expert, Group Capt. John Ojikutu (rtd) attributed the action of the Saudis to aero politics and diplomacy and urged the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to step in immediately and intervene in the case.
Ojikutu said what happened showed why it is important for the Nigerian government to stand strongly with any Nigerian carrier designated to operate international destinations.
He said Nigeria should designate Nigerian airlines approved to operate out of the country as flag carriers, noting that the United States has no national carrier but all the airlines are supported by the government and are designated as flag carriers.
The Guardian
