The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on Thursday deported seven Kano pilgrims, over claims of fake visas issued to them by a trip agency in Nigeria.

Upon reaching Jidda, the seven intending pilgrims were denied entry into the region leading to Mecca.

Five out of the seven pilgrims were traveling for Hajj in Saudi Arabia, while the other two pilgrims are trippers
under the Kano State Pilgrims Welfare Board.

One among the seven deported pilgrims, Dahiru Yau Musa, bared to journalists that they weren’t apprehensive of the originality of their visas until they arrived the King Abdulazeez Airport. He added that he got his visa from Quraish Travel Agency, while Mafimishkila Travel and tenures issued the visa attained by the remaining four deported pilgrims.

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

Mr Dahiru described the situation as a sad one and pledged to push for legal charges against the stint operatives.

The Administrative Secretary of the Kano State Pilgrims Welfare Board, Muhammad Abba Danbatta, responding to the situation, said that two out of the deported pilgrims weren’t registered members of the board but were fraudulently allocated traveling places by staff members.

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

He added that the cases have been transferred to the authorities for farther examinations. He also stated that the staff member if set up shamefaced, would face discipline for the act.

In June 2022, the Commandant General of the Kano Hisbah affairs, Haruna Ibn Sina, was indicted of hijacking the 2022 Hajj slots for his family and cronies, depriving other government officers from embarking on the holy trip.

A batch of 510 pilgrims from the state departed Nigeria for Mecca to commence the main Hajj rituals before in the month.