The Chairman, CEO of Eminasta Travels and Tours, Al
haji Ahmed Yellow Abubakar has called on the Foreign Affairs Ministry and Hajj Commission to check the excesses of Nigerians who violate the rules of the Saudi Arabian government by using Business/Entry permit to perform Umrah and Hajj rites in the holy land.
In a chat with Facing Kaaba, Alhaji Abubakar stated that the act is eroding the reputation the Country has built over the years the Saudi Arabia.
He added that if the ugly trend is not checked, it could lead to suspension of Nigeria from the important religious acts.
“Nigerians should obey the laws of Saudi Arabia. There are lot of sharp practices of using non-Umrah visa to perform Umrah. This could lead to suspension of the country and damage our relationship.
“If you don’t have Umrah visa, you cannot perform Umrah even if you have the entry permit into the country. The same with hajj, if you don’t have the Hajj visa, your entry visa which is meant for business, does not permit you to perform hajj. Some Nigerians with Business visa sometimes beat security to perform Umrah. It is a big challenge for us because this sharp practices damage our reputation and it can lead to suspension. As Private Tour Operator, we used to get calls from the Ministry seeking to confirm issues like these. Most of the times, we disclaim those names because they were not our pilgrims which such people claimed.
“This is affecting the reputation of our country and businesses. It is certainly a source of worry for stakeholders in the Hajj and Umrah industry.
“I hereby call on Nigerians to maintain the existing cordial relationship with Saudi Arabia and refrain from activities that can impede such bilateral relationship.
“Most of the names sent to me are found not to have any bearing with Umrah; they are just entry visa.I plead with our people to comply with the requirements of the Saudi Arabia Authorities, including all covid-19 protocol and precautionary measures.
