The Federal Government on Monday, April 7, debunked the report that Nigeria is on the list of countries facing a visa ban by Saudi Arabia from April 13.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar in a statement said the Saudi government has confirmed that the news on a visa ban for Nigeria is false and misleading.
Signed by Alkasim Abdulkadir, his aide on media and communication, the statement said the viral document which listed Nigeria among other countries like Pakistan, and Morroco among others is 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.
He added that visa holders cannot perform Hajj or stay back in Makkah between April 29 and June 11 (01 Thul Quda to 14 Thul Hijjah 1446 AH).
He stated that the Hajj visa is the only approved valid entry permit for pilgrims.
Urging Travellers to also contact the embassies of nations they are visiting, Tuggar condemned the spread of misinformation and unverified reports by Nigerians.
