Nigeria has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Saudi Arabian authorities toward the smooth conduct of the 2024 Hajj.
Mrs. Fatima Sanda-Usara, the Assistant Director, Public Affairs, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), said this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.
Nigeria, under the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), solidified its commitment to a seamless Hajj by signing the 2024 (1445AH) Hajj Memorandum of Understanding with the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.
Nigeria was represented at the signing of the MoU in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, by top government officials, including Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar and NAHCON Acting Chairman Malam Jalal Arabi.
The host contingent was led by the Saudi Arabian Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Dr. Taufiq Al-Rabiah, Mrs. Sanda-Usara said, that prior to the signing of the MoU, the two ministers held brief discussions where Nigeria requested for a lasting solution to the shortage of tents in Muna.
She also said that the Nigerian government also pressed for more favourable terms for the country’s carriers during transportation of pilgrims for the holy pilgrimage.
The director said that the Nigerian team also invited the Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah for a visit to the country.
Mrs. Sanda-Usara quoted the Saudi Minister as acknowledging the challenge of space in Muna and assuring that efforts were being made to maximise the use of the available two million square metres for the over two million pilgrims that performing Hajj annually.
She expressed the ministry’s support for all measures aimed at giving pilgrims the best services and accepted to visit Nigeria soon.
Other participants at the meeting, included the Nigerian Consul-General in Jeddah, Malam Bello Kazaure, senior officers from the Nigerian Mission in Saudi Arabia and NAHCON.
The Saudi Arabian Ministry for Hajj and Umrah had allocated 95,000 Hajj slots to Nigeria for the 2024 holy pilgrimage.
Sequel to numerous consultations with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) yesterday announced that the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has approved Nigeria’s demand to increase the 2024 slots of Tour Operators from 10 to 40.
It would be recalled that in a change of policy, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia announced in September that only 5 per cent of each Hajj-participating country’s Licensed Tour Operators would be permitted to conduct the 2024 Hajj exercise.
This translated to only 10 from Nigeria. However, Federal Government of Nigeria unrelentingly engaged the Saudi ministry over government’s course of promoting indigenous entrepreneurs as a tool in sustaining the country’s socioeconomic development.
In honour, the Saudi ministry in charge of Hajj and Umrah rescinded this decision in Nigeria’s favour.
NAHCON, however, in selecting the 40 tour operators out of the 110 that passed screening last month, considered capacity of operation; years of experience, historical antecedents and clean bill of operation.
The commission said in a release: “On the strength of the foregoing, the process of selection was tough having evaluated each operator’s ability, experience, and quality of services. As a result, the top 40 after scoring by a seven-man team of experts were adjudged to qualify and are hereby approved. They are as follows: Hajj Mabrur Ventures LTD; Hamsyl Travel and Tours LTD;
Gaskiya Tourism and T Agency LTD; Shebra Travels & Tours LTD; Alhujaaj International Umrah & Hajj Services LTD; Taura Travel and Tours LTD; Tafsan Towers & Travels LTD; Amisad Air Support Services LTD; Al-Qibla Travels and Tours LTD; Danbare Travels Agency LTD; Masanawa Travel and Tours LTD; Travels Express LTD.
13. Strive Wata Travel and Tours LTD; Maqbuul International Limited; Matasa World Wide T Agency LTD; Arafat Air Services Nigeria LTD; Murna Travel Agency LTD; Dala Air Services LTD; Libra Gold Travels & Tours LTD; Omosa Travels LTD; An-Noor Air Services LTD; Pyramid Travel and Tours LTD; Snowbal Travels and Tours LTD; Focal Point Travels LTD; Comerel Travels & Tours LTD; Tomeb Travels & Tours; Asan Umrah Company LTD; Amami Global Links LTD; Zango Travel & Tours LTD; Al-Halal Travel & Tours LTD; Dija Travels & Tours LTD; Al-Rahma for Hajj and Umrah Services Limited; Qiblah International Services LTD; Karamchi Travel & Tours LTD; Allahu Nuru Travels and Tours LTD; Dar Al-Islam Hajj & Umrah LTD; H.A.M Travel Air Services Limited; Imam Travels and Tours Nigeria Limited; Skybird Travels and Tours LTD and Al-Kauthar Travels & Tours LTD.
“However, in the spirit of business partnership, the commission encourages the remaining 70 that have qualified (from the 110 earlier approved) to consider aligning with the qualified 40 in the discharge of this religious obligation.
“The commission would like to assure that, as a stakeholder, it is desirous of ensuring that this partnership is entrenched even before the issuance of letters of approval.
“Therefore, and in the principle of inclusivity, the commission will soon hold a meeting with the overall 110 qualified operators in order to explore avenues of synergy to ensure all parties are carried along amicably.”
Saudi Arabian authorities have cancelled the visa of 264 passengers airlifted by Nigeria’s Air Peace on arrival in Jeddah from Kano, insisting that the airline should return to Nigeria.
Out of the 264 passengers, only 87 were cleared by Saudi Arabian authorities after intense intervention by Nigerian embassy officials.
The flight took off from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos via the Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano on Sunday night and arrived in Saudi Arabia’s major city on Monday without issues but on landing, Saudi Arabian authorities announced that all passengers’ visas were cancelled.
A source said all passengers and the airline personnel were shocked at the cancellation of the visas because during check-in the passengers went through the Advanced Passengers Pre-screening System (APPS), which was also monitored by the Saudi Arabian authorities before the flight left and departed Nigeria.
The source wondered whether what happened was a strategy to discourage the airline from operating to the destination because since it started the operation, it has been recording high load factors.
He said even the flight expected to leave on Tuesday to Jeddah was already fully booked.
When the Nigerian embassy waded in, Saudi authorities were said to have reduced the number of passengers that would be returned to 177 from 264.
Saudi Air has been operating directly from Nigeria to Saudi Arabia and since Air Peace started flight service to the Middle East nation at relatively lower fares, it has been receiving high patronage and as a Nigerian carrier, it helps to conserve foreign exchange for the country.
A source from the Nigerian embassy in Jeddah said even the Saudi immigration personnel said they didn’t know who cancelled the visas but that they were cancelled when the airline was already airborne to Jeddah.
The source said: “The airline was exonerated in all this as the Advanced Passenger Pre-screening System (APPS) which is live between both countries would have screened out any invalid visa and its passenger. The system accepted all affected passengers and passed them on.”
Those deported were 177 passengers and Air Peace has already left with them back to Nigeria.
The source said: “They are on their way to Nigeria now.”
Industry observers attributed this to aeropolitics, noting that it is a way to force the Nigerian operator out of the route; unless the government intervenes, adopting the principle of reciprocity.
In his reaction to the incident, industry expert and the Chief Executive Officer of Centurion Aviation Security and Safety Consult, Nigeria, Group Captain John Ojikutu attributed the action of the Saudis to aero politics and diplomacy and urged that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should step in immediately and intervene in the case.
He said what happened showed why it is important for the Nigerian government to stand strongly with any Nigerian carrier designated to operate international destinations.
Ojikutu said Nigeria should designate Nigerian airlines approved to operate out of the country as flag carriers, noting that the United States has no national carrier but all the airlines are supported by the government and are designated as flag carriers.
He noted: “The action of the Saudi Authorities is shocking. There is aero politics there and there is also diplomacy. There is the need for the Nigerian government to stand firmly with Nigerian carriers and also designate them as flag carriers; so that other countries will know that they represent Nigeria.
“Government must come out and intervene. The government must be behind Air Peace now to ensure that it is not denied its rights as contained in the Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) between the two countries. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs must not keep quiet. Nigeria must not keep quiet. Ideally, the government is expected to stand behind any of the country’s airlines that it designates to fly overseas.”
Just weeks after resigning from the Italy role, Roberto Mancini is set to be announced as the new coach of the Saudi Arabia national team, earning €25m net per year.
The Saudi authorities have called a press conference in a hotel today at 14.00 GMT).
He is expected to sign a four-year contract to 2027, which according to La Gazzetta dello Sport will earn him circa €25m per year with no taxes.
Saudi Arabia will host the Asian Cup in January 2027, a tournament they have not won since 1996.
The CT sensationally quit the Azzurri on August 13, which in turn was just nine days after he had been named co-ordinator of the Italy Under-21 and Under-20 teams too.
Although he insisted that the offer from Saudi Arabia had nothing to do with his decision, there have been reports on Sportitalia that negotiations started over a month ago.
His debut will be in England, when the Green Falcons face Costa Rica in a friendly at Newcastle’s St. James Park on September 8, then the same venue against South Korea on September 12.
Mancini was replaced on the Italy bench by Luciano Spalletti.
Five-time Ballon d’Or winner made a free transfer to Al Nassr following an unsuccessful second spell at Manchester United which led to the termination of his contract. His reported wage is summed up to be around £173m per year.
2. Neymar – Riyadh
Despite scoring 118 goals since his arrival at PSG in 2017, Neymar seems not to be part of Luis Enrique’s plans for PSG this season. A move to Barcelona wasn’t forthcoming either, he now joins former Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves, as well as Senegal captain Koulibaly, to earn six times his PSG contract in Riyadh.
3. Sadio Mane – Al Nassr
Sadio Mane has joined Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr from Bayern Munich. The ex-Liverpool forward spent only a year in the Bundesliga after leaving Anfield and now joins up with former Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo at his new club.
4. Allan Saint-Maximan – Al Ahli
Allan Saint-Maximin will partner former Manchester City winger Riyad Mahrez and ex-Liverpool striker Roberto Firmino in Al Ahli’s frontline. Maximin scored 13 goals in 124 games and registered 21 assists for Newcastle after joining in August 2019 from Nice.
5. Riyad Mahrez – Al Ahli
Riyad Mahrez has completed his move from Manchester City to Saudi Arabian club Al Ahli. City agreed a fee understood to be worth up to £30m with Al Ahli for the Algeria international.
6. Jordan Henderson – Al Ettifaq
Jordan Henderson ended his 12-year stay at Liverpool during which he won every major trophy. Henderson will link up again with ex-Liverpool captain and former team-mate Steven Gerrard, who is the manager of Al Ettifaq.
7. Benzema – Al Ittihad
Reigning Ballon d’Or winner Benzema followed the step of his former Real Madrid team-mate, Ronaldo, leaving the Spanish capital after his contract expired having won five Champions League titles during his stay. His reported wage is said to be around £172m per year.
8. Roberto Firmino – Al Ahli
The highest-scoring Brazilian in Premier League history, Firmino enjoyed a long and emotional goodbye to the Liverpool supporters, among whom he was a firm favourite after eight years at Anfield. He is to earn £17m per year at Al Ahli.
9. N’Golo Kante – Al Ittihad
Same as Benzema, Kante completed a free transfer to Al Ittihad at the end of his contract with Chelsea. The 32-year-old midfielder is to earn a sum of £86.2m per year at Al Ittihad.
10. Edouard Mendy – Al Ahli
Edouard Mendy lost his place as first-choice goalkeeper at Chelsea having arrived at the club in 2020. He made just 10 Premier League appearances last season before opting for a move to Saudi Arabia.
He is to earn £9.4m per year.
11. Ruben Neves – Al Hilal
Portuguese international, Ruben Neves who played at Wolves right from the Sky Bet Championship before enjoying five Premier League campaigns at Molineux made an interesting move to Al Hilal for £47m
12. Alex Telles – Al Nassr
After a year-long loan to Seville last season, Manchester United parted ways with Brazil defender Alex Telles for £6m, joining the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Seko Fofana at Al Nassr.
13. Jota – Al Ittihad
Having hit 15 goals to help Celtic win a domestic treble, former Portugal youth international Jota clearly got himself on the radar of Al Ittihad and made the £25m move at the start of July.
14. Kalidou Koulibaly – Al Hilal
32-year-old Senegalese defender left Chelsea just after one season spent at the Stanford Bridge. He joined Al Hilal for around £20m. His reported wage is said to be around £30m per year.
15. Marcelo Brozovic – Al Nassr
Former Inter Milan captain, Brozovic exited the Serie A side following their Champions League final loss to Manchester City, the 30-year-old Croatia midfielder heading to Saudi after eight seasons and five major trophies in Italy. His
16. Serjec Milinkovic-Savic – Al Hilal
Lazio’s player of the season in 2020-21 and 2021-22, Milinkovic-Savic had been touted as a midfielder who would make his mark at the highest level of European football. Now, though, he will be turning out in the Saudi Pro League after a reported £34.3m switch.
17. Seko Fofona – Al Nassr
The Ivory Coast International has joined Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr side, where he penned a three-year deal. Fofana made the move to Saudi Arabia having helped Lens finish second in Ligue 1 behind champions Paris Saint-Germain. He would earn £12.9m per year.
Al Hilal seemed the better of the Saudi Arabian pro league to, Brazilian international Malcom joined the club being the highest goal scorer in Russia as Zenit clinched the league title.
19. Moussa Dembele – Al Ettifaq
The former Celtic striker left Lyon after scoring just three goals in 20223/23 to sign a four-year deal which sees him team up with Steven Gerrard and Jordan Henderson in Saudi Arabia.
20. Jack Hendry – Al Ettifaq
The Scotland international joined Club Brugge in 2021 and went on to make 32 appearances in the Belgian Pro League. Having spent time on loan in Serie A with Cremonese last season before making a move to Al Ettifaq. He would be earning £15.2m yearly.
21. Frank Kessie – Al Ahli
After joining Barcelona from AC Milan in 2022, he joined Al Ahli this transfer window for a record fee of £12.5m. However, Frank Kessie struggled to keep a starting position under Xavi’s team and had to leave to get more playing time.
Nigeria born British boxer Anthony Joshua has been told to take a break from boxing should he fail to win in the December 7 rematch against Andy Ruiz Jnr.
The Mexican himself sarcastically gave the advice while boasting about readiness for the showdown billed for Saudi Arabia.
Joshua’s defeat was a huge surprise to many with the 29year old 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist admitting he had to ‘grieve’ after that shock loss in June at Madison Square Garden.
The pair are scheduled to have a huge rematch in December after Ruiz Jnr took Joshua’s three world heavyweight title belts in their initial fight in New York.
Ruiz Jnr believes he can defeat Joshua once again when they come to blows in Saudi Arabia and has advised the British to step away from the ring if he fails to regain his world titles.
‘I think he should take a little break if I beat him,’ Ruiz Jr told Sky Sports.
‘Let him recuperate, but one or two losses are not going to make a difference.
‘He’s still a warrior, he’s still a great fighter, and I’m sure he’ll bounce back,” he submitted
Mexican boxer Andy Ruiz Jnr displays his belts
Joshua nonetheless remains optimistic that he can reclaim his titles in the all-important rematch that has kept the boxing world waiting
Recall that Joshua dropped Ruiz Jr. in the third round, for the first time in the challenger’s career. Ruiz Jr. beat the count, and scored his own knock down moments later. Joshua was down again towards the end of the round in a massive turn around.
At the time of stoppage Ruiz Jr. was leading the fight 57–56 on two scorecards and Joshua was leading 57–56 on the other. It is still considered to be one of the biggest upsets in the history of boxing.
The Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Nigeria H.E Adnan bin Mahmood Bustaji on Thursday met with the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu on how to assist the nation in its anti-corruption war.
The envoy discussed with Magu the ways of mutual cooperation between Saudi Arabia And Nigeria in combating corruption and malpractices.
A statement from the embassy said the Ambassador commended the efforts of the EFCC in fighting corruption in Nigeria.
He wish the commission’s boss success in his job.
On his part Magu commended the Leadership of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in combating corruption decisively through the establishment of Anti-Corruption Agency.
He said he is hopeful that Nigeria will benefit from the wide experience of the Kingdom in curbing corruption.
President Muhammadu Buhari will depart Abuja on Thursday to attend the Summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President, Media and Publicity, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.
The 14th session of the Summit Conference of the OIC, scheduled to hold on May 31, will be hosted by King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and attended by Heads of State and Governments of member states.
According to the OIC secretariat, the summit to be convened under the theme, “Makkah al-Mukarramah Summit: Hand in Hand toward the Future,” seeks to develop a unified stance on events in the Islamic world.
Buhari is expected to address the forum and underscore the need for member countries to unite and work together to combat common challenges such as terrorism and violent extremism.
The President will also push forward themes that have been at the forefront of his domestic and international priorities, including reviving the Lake Chad Basin, investing in Nigeria to create jobs and financing for development.
On the margins of the summit, the Nigerian leader will hold bilateral meetings with world leaders to promote increased cooperation and collaboration on issues of mutual concern.
Buhari, who is expected to return to the country on June 2, will be accompanied by Governors Mohammed Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa, Gboyega Oyetola of Osun State and Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger State.
Others are the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Mustapha Suleiman; Director-General, National Intelligence Agency, Ambassador Ahmed Rufa’i Abubakar; Director-General, National Information Technology Development Agency.
Also in the delegation are Dr Isa Ali Pantami; and the Chairman, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Abdullahi Mukthar.
A preparatory meeting is expected to hold in Jeddah to adopt the draft agenda and work programme for the Summit.
The question of Palestine and the Arab-Israeli conflict; combating terrorism and violent extremism; the humanitarian situation in the Muslim world; promotion of scientific cooperation, among others, will top the agenda.
Buhari becomes the third Nigerian leader to attend the OIC conference in person, after the late Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua and Dr Goodluck Jonathan
Wife of the President, Aisha Buhari on Monday broke her fast with freed victim of the Saudi Arabia drugs trafficking, Zainab Aliyu and her family.
She also called on the authorities to leave no stone unturned towards bringing the perpetrators to book.
The Nigerian student, who was held in Saudi Arabia on drug smuggling charges, had recently been reunited with her family.
Aliyu spent four months in prison following the discovery of illegal drugs in a bag tagged in her name on her arrival in Saudi Arabia.
Zainab, who was led by Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, was companied by her parents Habib and Maryam Aliyu and sister, Hajara.
She was accused of entering Saudi Arabia with an illegal dosage of Tramadol, but it has since been discovered she was a victim of a cartel at the airport in Kano that specialises in keeping hard drugs in travellers’ bags.
A Federal High Court, sitting in Kano State, had in April granted bail to the six suspects arraigned before it for exporting tramadol to Saudi Arabia in luggage using the name tag of Zainab Aliyu, a 22-year-old student of Maitama Sule University, Kano.
A seven-man syndicate, who were staff members of the MAKIA were arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, following a petition filed by Zainab’s father, Habibu, a director at the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, FRCN.
The accused namely: Idris Umar Shehu (alias Umar Sanda), Sanni Suleiman, Nuhu Adamu, Rhoda Adetunji, Udosen Itoro Henry and Sanni Hamisu were arraigned on three-count charges.
One of the accused, Umar Shehu (alias Umar Sanda), is in Saudi Arabia observing Lesser hajj.
Oil prices are rising as escalating tensions in the Middle East stoke fears about a global supply crunch.
Brent crude futures — the global benchmark — gained about 1.9 per cent earlier yesterday to trade at $71.75 a barrel. US crude oil futures gained about 1.6per cent to $62.48. Both markets pared those gains later as the escalating US-China trade war clouded the outlook for global oil demand growth.
Saudi Arabia said two of its oil tankers had been sabotaged off the coast of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), in attacks it said posed a threat to shipping and the security of global oil supplies.
Four tankers were targeted overall, according to the UAE, in what the country said was a “sabotage attack” that took place near the strategic port of Fujairah on Sunday.
A senior source at Saudi Arabia’s ministry of energy told CNN Business that the attacks were particularly alarming because the tankers were targeted outside the Strait of Hormuz.
