The Air Peace flight left for Saudi Arabia from Murtala Mohammad International Airport in Lagos via Mallam Aminu International Airport in Kano. Monday morning had come in Jeddah, the capital city of Saudi Arabia, on Sunday night.
The passengers were taken aback when the Saudi officials reported that their visas had been revoked upon their arrival. 87 of the passengers were allowed access once the authorities checked later, while the rest 177 were refused entry and told to return to Nigeria.
The Saudi authorities said that the Air Peace passengers were refused entrance and then deported to their destinations because they did not comply with the requirements, according to a statement issued by the press secretary of the Royal Embassy, Mohammed Alsahabi.
The statement reads, "The Saudi Arabian Royal Embassy in Abuja would like to clarify the claims in the media and on social media regarding the deportation of Nigerian nationals at the point of entrance into the Kingdom.
"The passengers who were refused entry and subsequently deported to their original destinations did not meet the entry requirements in line with the applicable rules and regulations of the Kingdom. This was discovered upon their arrival when they provided false information to obtain a category of visa that does not apply to them.
The Royal Embassy would like to emphasize to all visitors how important it is to abide by the policies and laws implemented by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Before leaving their home countries for the Kingdom, all passengers should check that all of the documentation complies with the requirements. The scope of this method extended beyond inhabitants of Nigeria to include citizens of other nations. Noted the statement.
The event has caused diplomatic and bilateral anxiety between the two countries. It happened while President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Federal government delegates were in the Kingdom for the Arab and Africa business conference.
Nigerians are anticipating the investigation's findings even though the national assembly and the federal government have promised to look into the underlying cause of the unsightly development.