The federal government yesterday called off a trip by its Presidential committee headed by Speaker of the House of Representatives Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, to Saudi Arabia over the deportation of over 1000 Nigerian female pilgrims.Special Adviser to the Speaker on Media and Public Affairs Malam Imam Imam in a statement said the trip was put off in order to await the outcome of a meeting held in New York between Nigeria's minister of foreign affair Gbenga Ashiru and his Saudi counterpart on the issue.However, a senior government official told Daily Trust yesterday in Abuja that Tambuwal could not travel because Saudi officials won't be available to receive members of the Nigerian delegation.The source said the message to that effect was conveyed to Nigerian officials by the Saudi Ambassador to Nigeria. According to the source, the ambassador said the delegation could travel to meet with Nigerian embassy officials if they so wish.'The Saudis have also stood their ground that they were not go back on the issue of Muharram and that every female pilgrim must be accompanied by a male relation,' the source said.Speaking to Daily Trust yesterday, Imam explained that the meeting on the sidelines in New York between Minister of foreign affairs Olugbenga Ashiru and his Saudi counterpart delayed the committee's trip to the holy land.'They waited awhile for the outcome of the foreign minister's meeting before they would proceed to Saudi Arabia and luckily enough now, most of the issues to be addressed by Tambuwal and his team have been sorted out at the New York meeting that is why the airlift of pilgrims resumed,' Daily Trust's source said.{loadposition user30}He said the committee will now meet to assess progress made so far before taking the next line of action.Last week Thursday Saudi Arabian ambassador to Nigeria Mr. Khalid Abdrabuh met with Tambuwal at the National Assembly where he assured that the impasse would be resolved in 24hours.Last Wednesday, President Jonathan approved the constitution of a Presidential delegation to interface with the Saudi authorities under the leadership of Tambuwal.Meawhile the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), has urged the state pilgrims welfare board to match all the female pilgrims with their appropriate muharram and ensure they are on the same flight.This was contained in a statement issued by NAHCON as the commission resumed air lifting of pilgrims to the holy land following suspension as a result of deportation of some Nigeria female pilgrims last week.The statement however added that all the pilgrims airlifted so far, were allowed entry into the kingdom except a very few from Kebbi, Kaduna and Niger states totaling about 50. 'In line with the instructions given to the air carriers by the commission, all pilgrims without proper documentation were appropriately returned back to Nigeria,' the statement said.The commission therefore appealed to all state pilgrims welfare boards and agencies to comply with the circulars earlier sent to them regarding the marching of female pilgrims with their appropriate Muharrams and ensure that they travel together in the same flight.Also yesterday,Nigeria's ambassador to Saudi Arabia Abubakar Shehu Bunu told Daily Trust that already intending pilgrims from Kogi and Zamfara states had arrived in Jeddah late Sunday night without any incident.However, spokesman of the Saudi Arabia Hajj ministry, Hatim Kavi said despite the resolution, the authorities will continue to scrutinize the Nigeria female pilgrims.Eight female out of 461 Niger State pilgrims that were airlifted from Minna Airport on Sunday for this year's pilgrimage were also deported back to Nigeria the following day for failure to produce their Muharram (male guardian).The deportees arrived Minna Airport at about 6 : 20 am aboard Max Air, same a Aircraft that airlifted them to the holy land.Ambassador Ahmad Umar, the Nigerian ambassador in Jiddah said they were surprised with the development.Speaking to BBC Hausa yesterday, Ahmad said: 'Wallahi this has come to us as surprise, because it started very well but after we left some Saudi officials at the airport started making things difficult for our pilgrims. We know the reason and we are looking for diplomatic ways to address the problems.'He added, 'my advice is that we at home should always do the right things. We should know that each country has its own way of doing things. I call on hajj officials particularly at state levels to make sure each female intending pilgrim goes with her Muharram, whose name should be in her Visa, and it needs to match what is in her passport.'In the meantime, illegal settlers in the holy land better known as Takaris have continue to make brisk business through the sale of wears while others are allegedly duping unsuspecting pilgrims of their money.Illiterate pilgrims from Nigeria have reported cases of being defrauded by unknown illegal settlers.Some female pilgrims from Adamawa have already been duped, Daily Trust gathered. Aisha Abubakar Garkida from Gombi Local government area was duped of 5, 000 Saudi Riyals (N205, 000).Narrating her ordeal, she told Daily Trust that she was lured by one of the fraudsters to a shop where she was dispossessed of her money.She said 'the man accosted me at a shop near the prophet's mosque. He took away my money and sneaked away.' Meanwhile, the first, second and third batches of pilgrims from Nigeria are almost through with the hajj rites in Madina.
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