FG confronts Saudi Arabia on removal of travel constraints

Zubairu Dada, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, has engaged with Amb. Faisal Al-Ghamdi, the Saudi Arabian Ambassador to Nigeria, called for the banishment of travel restrictions placed on Nigerians intending to visit Saudi Arabia.

The Special Assistant Media to Dada, Mr Ibrahim Aliyu, made this known in a statement made available to newsmen on Saturday in Abuja.

Recall that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia placed travel restrictions on Nigerians intending to visit the country since the outbreak of the Omicron Variant of COVID 19 across the globe.

Dada appealed to the Saudi Authorities to, as a matter of urgency, review the travel restrictions it placed on Nigerians over the Omicron outbreak as already done by many countries.

The Minister noted that many countries which had earlier placed bans on Nigeria had since reversed their positions, having studied the achievements of Nigeria in containing the Pandemic.

“Although Nigeria has understood fully the reason for the ban by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was for the best interest of its citizens.

“But that the steps taken so far by Nigeria Authorities to curtail the spread of the Omicron Variant have made it possible for many countries to consider Nigeria as safe, removing Nigeria from the blacklisted countries,” Dada stated.

Dada commended the cordial relationship that existed for years and continued to exist between the two countries.