🇳🇬🇸🇦Nigerians heading for Saudi pilgrimage forced back home
More than 170 Nigerians on a flight to Saudi Arabia were turned back on arrival on Monday after Saudi authorities reportedly abruptly revoked their visas.
Reports say that 264 passengers, who had departed from the Nigerian cities of Lagos and Kano, were reportedly granted visas and thoroughly screened before boarding.
However, all their visas were reportedly revoked while they were airborne.
On arrival, Saudi authorities reportedly refused to grant entry and instructed the Nigerian Air Peace airline to return them to Nigeria, reports add.
Saudi authorities have not commented on the matter.
Saudi Arabia is said to have ultimately allowed entry to 87 passengers after intervention by the Nigerian embassy there, but 177 were repatriated to Nigeria on Monday night.