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1,000 Detained Pilgrims: Nigeria Tackles Saudi …As 24 Hour Ultimatum Expires
President Goodluck Jonathan has approved the constitution of
a presidential delegation to interface with the Saudi authorities over the
detention of Nigerian female pilgrims at King Abdul-Azziz International
Airport, Jeddah
The approval is contained in a statement signed by Secretary
to the Government of the Federation, Senator
Anyim Pius Anyim,.
The statement listed members of the delegation to include
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, who would lead the
team, Minister of State 11, Foreign Affairs, Dr Nurudeen Mohammed.
Other members are Ambassador Shehu Galadanchi, Sheikh Sherif
Saleh and Muhammad Bello, Chairman of the National Hajj Commission.
The delegation will depart for Saudi Arabia as soon as
appointment is finalised with the appropriate authority.
It would be recalled that the House of Representatives, on
Wednesday, urged President Goodluck Jonathan to intervene in the plight of
stranded 1,000 Nigerian female pilgrims now in detention in Jeddah, Saudi
Arabia.
The Chairman, House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Rep.
Nnenna Elendu-Ukeje (PDP-Abia) made the call at a meeting with officials of the
Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs and National Hajj Commission of Nigeria
(NAHCON).
She said that a mechanism should be put in place to ensure
that those in detention were either allowed to move into Saudi Arabia to
perform the pilgrimage or brought back to stop their being subjected to further
hardship.
“Our preferred option will be to get them into the holy land
to perform the pilgrimage but if this does not work we have to bring our people
back.
“We are very concerned, we thought we have settled with
issues of deportation.
“This is the first time this is happening in this magnitude.
So, for us it is a very grave issue bearing in mind that over 95,000 Nigerians
are expected to be in Saudi Arabia for the pilgrimage.
In his submission, Mr Martin Uhumoibhi, the Permanent
Secretary, Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the Nigerian Consulate in
Jeddah was acting accordingly to ameliorate the condition of the detained
pilgrims.
He said the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs II, Dr
Nurudeen Mohammed, also met with the Saudi officials and got assurance that all
would be well.
The Chairman, NAHCON, Malam Mohammad Bello, said the commission thought the issue was
something that could be resolved within 24 hours.
It seems there is a disconnect between Nigeria and Saudi
officials. It is beyond the Hajj commission.
He said that the commission had airlifted 24,886 pilgrims to
Saudi Arabia before the problems started, and wondered why the Saudi government
has not replied to any of the letters the commission wrote to them.
The Federal Government had Wednesday in Abuja given the
Saudi Arabia government 24 hours to expedite action in resolving the issues
surrounding the detention of some Nigerian female pilgrims.
Vice President Namadi Sambo gave the ultimatum which expired
yesterday, when he summoned the Saudi Arabian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Khaled
Abdrabuh, to his office.
Our correspondent reports that the Nigerian female pilgrims in Saudi Arabia
adjudged by the authority to be without male companion (Muharram) have been
detained in Jeddah and Madinah.
Sambo had expressed the country’s displeasure over the
treatment being meted out to Nigerian pilgrims performing this year’s
pilgrimage in the holy land.
He said reports available to him suggested that only
Nigerian pilgrims were being subjected to such dehumanising treatment.
Sambo, therefore, requested the Saudi Arabian authorities to
apply caution and flexibility to allow the pilgrims undertake their sacred
religious duties.
“Should the Saudi authorities not desire our pilgrims to
perform this year’s Hajj, they should let the country know.”
He said that no reasonable and responsible government would
sit and fold its arms while its citizens are manhandled.
The vice president, therefore, requested the Ambassador to
do all within his powers to ensure that the issues were resolved within 24
hours, and the outcome communicated to him.
In a mixed reactions from across the states trail the plight
of the Nigerian female Muslim pilgrims who were denied entry into Saudi Arabia
by its authorities because they were not accompanied by their male guardians.
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) in Abuja confirmed
the repatriation of some female pilgrims to the country while flights were
suspended for 48 hours to resolve the matter with Saudi Authorities.
At least, 102 female intending pilgrims from Sokoto State
were brought back to the country in the early hours of Thursday from Saudi
Arabia.
Our correspondent
reports that the pilgrims were transported back to Sokoto aboard a Max
Air aircraft.
The Manager of the Sultan Abubakar III International
Airport, Sokoto, Alhaji Abubakar Lawal, told newsmen yesterday in Sokoto that
the deported pilgrims had since travelled to their respective local government
areas.
He said that the affected pilgrims were hale and hearty.
All efforts to get the Chairman of the State Pilgrims’
Welfare Agency, Alhaji Muntari Maigona or its Public Relations Officer, Faruk
Umar, proved abortive.
In Jalingo, Taraba State capital, no fewer than 62 female
pilgrims were brought back to Nigeria.
The Chairman of the Taraba Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board,
Alhaji Hamman-Adama Tukur, explained that the women were transported from the
King Abdulazeez International Airport, Jeddah, to Aminu Kano International
Airport, Kano.
He said that the women were actually accompanied but that
the checking system at the Jeddah Airport was such that men were checked,
cleared and asked to proceed.
“When it was the turn of the women to be checked and
cleared, the Security claimed they were not accompanied by their guardians
(Mahram) and were unwilling to listen to any explanation and went ahead to
detained them.”
The Mayor of Housing, My-ACE China, has teamed up with a renowned hospital group in Port Harcourt, the Meridian Hospitals, which is in partnership with the Pilgrims Health Foundation, to carry out a one-day medical outreach last Tuesday.
The free treatment scheme took place at Oromenike Government Girls Secondary School in D-Line, Port Harcourt, with over 100 persons accessing free treatments, including free eye-glasses and booking for eye surgeries.
Other areas of treatment included general health consultations and treatment; blood pressure and sugar level testing; malaria testing and treatment; free prescriptions; preventive health talks focusing on hygiene, maternal health, and nutrition.
The scheme was conducted under the theme: ‘Bringing Healthcare to the Community.’
Newsmen who visited the venue of the scheme found that enthusiastic beneficiaries had thronged the area as early as 7a.m. After setting up, the medical team began attending to the patients.
Mr. Jerry Onwuso, a 63-year-old patient, who was first to see eye doctors and got eye glasses and drugs, told newsmen that he was pleased with the medical intervention.
He made it clear he did not pay any money to get all the treatments and glasses, and pleaded that the scheme be sustained.
Another patient, Loveth Sam, expressed satisfaction with the scheme and appealed to the sponsors to continue to increase the benefits.
Throwing some light on the scheme, Mr. China said he worked in Meridian Hospitals as a Lab. Scientist 19 years ago, but resigned because he could not bear to see patients struggling for life because they had no money to pay for treatment.
He said he came back to help extend free medical treatment to the less privileged.
Sources said China was always having issues with the hospital authorities when he would insist on critical patients being allowed to be treated first, with or without money.
Years later, China, who now goes by a brand name, the Mayor of Housing, returned to the Meridian Hospital headquarters to support free medical scheme.
He also went the next day to the headquarters of Meridian, after the one-day medical outreach, to give cash gifts and palliatives to workers he met when he worked there but had remained in service since he left.
He encouraged them to continue to give their all to humanity through the hospital. The Mayor of Housing called most of them by name and a cloud of emotions descended on them during the reunion.
Appreciating the gesture, the Founder and Chief Medical Director, Dr. Iyke Odo, said China had always manifested hard-work, ambition, and impulsive giving.
According to him, the then young bright boy was full of humanity, kindness, love, and made friends easily, adding that “not everybody that gives is a giver. The difference is that givers are given to give.”
Dr. Odo used the opportunity to call on governments to review Nigeria’s health insurance system and make it work in Nigeria to save lives.
He said it was sad watching critically sick persons abandoned because they did not have money for treatment.
He also condemned harsh tax and electricity tariffs whereby facilities like his now pay N12 million instead of N500,000 few years back.
He wondered why hospitals were being made to pay tariffs like oil companies, citing many other countries where medical facilities were placed on low rates and tariffs so they could charge moderate fees from patients.
The Renewed Hope Initiative in conjunction with the Rivers State Government has empowered 500 elderly citizens in Rivers State with financial support of N200,000 each.
The empowerment programme was part of activities to celebrate the third anniversary of the Renewed Hope Initiative Elderly Support Scheme RHIESS, a social investment policy initiated by the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
Speaking at the event which held at the Government House, Port Harcourt, recently, under the theme, ‘Finding Joy in Old Age,’ Senator Tinubu said the gesture which has become traditional since 2023 was a mark of gratitude in recognition of the invaluable contributions of the senior citizens to nation building.
The First Lady who was represented by the wife of the Rivers State Governor and State Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Initiative, Lady Valerie Fubara, said the scheme was to “support two hundred and fifty (250) vulnerable elderly citizens aged 65 and above in all the 36 states of the federation, the Federal Capital Territory, and veterans from the Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association (DEPOWA) totalling 9,500 selected beneficiaries across the nation.
She urged the beneficiaries to engage in activities that will make them find joy in old age.
“I encourage you to continue playing your part by staying healthy and active, nurture both your body and mind through regular exercise and meaningful engagement,” Senator Tinubu advised.
On her part, Lady Fubara said the State Government through the magnanimity of the governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has increased the beneficiaries of the programme from 250 to 500.
She restated the commitment of the State Government towards provision of social welfare and improving the standard of living of the elderly in the State.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary, Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP), Dr Vetty Agala, said the State Government has through the Health4allrivers Initiative, introduced free medical care for senior citizens in the State, in line with the Renewed Hope Initiative.
