Saudis defend deportation of Nigerian female pilgrims

 RIYADH (AFP) – Saudi Arabia on Friday defended its decision to turn back hundreds of Nigerian women who flew into the kingdom for the hajj, saying they had failed to abide by the rules for the annual Muslim pilgrimage.
“The rules for the pilgrimage have been in force for several years and must be applied as they stand, since nothing new has been introduced,” said hajj ministry spokesman Hatem bin Hassan Qadi, quoted by the official news agency SPA.
“Women aged under 45 must be accompanied on the journey by a ‘mahramu,’” a male with legal authority, the ministry said in a statement.

FG Suspends Airlifting of Pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for 48 Hours

President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan  has approved the constitution of a Presidential delegation to interface with the Saudi Authorities over the issues surrounding the detained Nigerian female pilgrims at King Abdul-Azziz International Airport, Jeddah.
This was contained in statement issued last night by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation Senator Anyim Pius Anyim.
Anyim stated that the delegation would be  composed as follows: the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu  Tambuwal who would lead the delegation;   Dr. Nuruddeen Mohammed,Hon. Minister of State II for  Foreign Affairs;   Ambassador Shehu Galadanchi;  Sheikh Sherif Saleh and   Muhammad Bello,    Chairman, National Hajj Commission