.Tuggar debunks visa ban on Nigeria
.Says current travel guidelines only apply to Hajj pilgrimage
By Mariyah Adamu, Abuja
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, has said that in line with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, KSA, guidelines holders of tourist visas cannot perform Hajj, enter or remain in Makkah between April 29 and June 11 ,01 Thul Quda to 14 Thul Hijjah 1446 AH),
Tuggar, made this known while clarifying that Nigeria is not on the list of countries facing an entry ban into Saudi Arabia from April 13.
The clarification was contained in a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media and Communications Strategy, Alkasim Abdulkadir.
The minister said Saudi authorities have officially confirmed that the viral memo suggesting Nigeria’s inclusion in the ban list is false.
He called the document, which named Nigeria, Egypt, India, Pakistan and others as banned, misleading and inaccurate.
“The Saudi Tourism Centre confirmed no such directive exists. Current official travel guidelines only apply to the Hajj pilgrimage.
“To clarify, the only restriction concerns tourist visa holders during the Hajj period”,Tuggar said.
According to him, “The Hajj visa remains the only valid entry permit for pilgrims during that time.”
The Minister advised the public to ignore the misleading memo and confirm travel details through official sources before making plans.
“Sharing unverified information causes confusion and may affect travel arrangementshe warned.
“For accurate updates, travellers should consult official Saudi sources, the Nigerian Foreign Ministry, or recognised diplomatic channels,” he added.
