Officials at the King Abdulazeez Airport deported seven Nigerian intending pilgrims who travelled from Kano to Saudi Arabia for Hajj on Thursday.

Five of the prospective pilgrims got their travel documents from tour operators. The other two arranged their pilgrimage with the Kano State Pilgrims Welfare Board. 

Dahiru Yau Musa, one of the deportees, said Quraish Travel Agency and Mafimishkila Travel and Tours processed visas for the five of them, Daily Trust reported. 

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“We were in the queue with other pilgrims and when it was my turn, they directed me to stay behind. It was when they finished the screening of other pilgrims that they told me about the fake visa,” Musa said.

“They spoke with NAHCON officials. It took them some time trying to resolve the issue but all to no avail. In the end, we were told that we were being taken back to Nigeria. And the rest is history now.” 

Musa explained that the travellers did not know that the travel agencies issued them fake visas. He said he would take legal action against Quraish Travel Agency. 

“Since I returned, my tour operator has been looking to meet with me, but I have been avoiding him because I don’t want to hear anything from him until we get to the court.

“Again, I will take the issue to the Saudi Consulate here so that I can be cleared for future travel. 

“It was really a sad experience. I couldn’t believe it would happen to me. You know, as Muslim, to see yourself there (Holy Land) and you were taken back to your country is not something easy to comprehend.”

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Muhammad Abba Danbatta, the Executive Secretary of the Kano State Pilgrims Welfare Board, confirmed the deportation of two Nigerians. Danbatta told reporters that the deported pilgrims were not from the board, but were added to the list by one of the staff members. 

“I met with the two pilgrims, one female and a male, who claimed to be from our Sumaila centre,” Danbatta said. 

“I called the Sumaila centre officer but he didn’t know them and they did not know him. It was when we carried out a thorough investigation that we found out the two pilgrims were deceived by one of our staff members by name Abdurrahman. He issued fake visas as well as receipts to them.”

Danbatta explained that Abdurrahman could not be reached on his mobile phone and the authorities were carrying out more investigations.