The leader of the 5-man Federal Government delegation to interface with the Saudi Arabian authorities over the deportation of Nigerian female pilgrims, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, has urged pilgrims affected by the development not to lose hope.
According to a press release signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker, James Ojo, the speaker gave this assurance just before the delegation left for Jeddah on Sunday morning.
Other members of the delegation included the Emir of Zuru, Sani Sami; Aminu Dantata; former ambassador of Nigeria to Saudi Arabia, Shehu Galadanchi; the Chairman of Nigerian Hajj Commission (NAHCON), Muhammad Bello, and the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs II, Nurudeen Mohammed.
The speaker said that the Federal Government is not relenting in addressing the issues surrounding the deportation of the female pilgrims and that it is expected that an amicable truce would be achieved with the delegation’s visit to Saudi Arabia.
President Goodluck Jonathan, through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim, raised the five-member delegation on 26 September.
As part of the efforts to resolve the crisis, Mr Tambuwal met with the Saudi Arabian ambassador to Nigeria, Khalid Abdrabuh, on 27 September and he gave the assurance that the issue would be resolved.
Mr Abdrabuh told the speaker that the detention of female pilgrims who failed to meet the country’s entry requirements was not restricted to Nigeria as some from other countries had been deported as well.
More than 95,000 Nigerians were expected to perform the 2012 pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia, including 10,000 pilgrims from the private operators before the deportation of the 1,000 intending female pilgrims.