Skip to main content

Nigeria: Hajj 2018 - Saudi Arabia Moves to Stop Nigerian Pilgrims

 
By Sani Tukur
Saudi Arabian authorities are threatening to block Nigerian pilgrims from attending this year's Hajj exercise.
Nigeria has one of the largest contingents in the annual religious exercise with about 95,000 pilgrims.
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) on Monday said Saudi Arabia is taking the decision because of reports of Lassa fever outbreak in Nigeria.
Outbreak of Lassa fever has been reported in a number of states.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 1081 suspected cases and 90 deaths have been reported from 18 states (Anambra, Bauchi, Benue, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekite, Federal Capital Territory, Gombe, Imo, Kogi, Lagos, Nasarawa, Ondo, Osun, Plateau, Rivers, and Taraba) between January 1 through February 25 this year.

During the period, 317 cases have been classified as confirmed and eight as probable, including 72 deaths.
WHO however, said in a report Sunday that there is a steady decline in Lassa fever cases and deaths from 70 by February 18 to five by April 15.
The Guardian on Monday quoted WHO, as saying that "... From the beginning of the outbreak in January 1, 2018 to the week ending February 18, 2018, the number of weekly reported Lassa fever cases increased from 10 to 70.
"From late-February to early March, there has been a downward trend in the weekly reported number of Lassa fever cases with less than 20 cases reported each week in March and only five new cases reported in the week ending April 15, 2018."
One of the spokespersons of NAHCON, Mousa Ubandawaki, who confirmed the moves by Saudi Arabia, informed PREMIUM TIMES that Nigerian authorities are not taking the threat lightly.
"There will be an expanded meeting of all officials from the 36 states, the Commission and officials of the Federal Government to discuss the matter tomorrow," Mr Ubandawaki said.
The NAHCON official said the meeting will hold at the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).

Nigeria


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

'Second Calais' grows in France as Macron pledges to rid country of migrant camps

Violence, alcohol abuse and reports of rape have become a daily routine for people in and around an illegal migrant camp in the town of Metz in north-eastern France, where "a second Calais" is said to be emerging. Reports of appalling living conditions have been emanating from Metz, where hundreds of migrants have set up camp. Although the illegal site has been dismantled several times, more people arrive and start it all up again. " The city of Metz was not prepared for the camp. The authorities emptied it, but now there are 700 refugees back there again. It's becoming a second Calais ," a concerned local woman told RT's Charlotte Dubenskij. " This problem has to be addressed quickly, for their sake as well as for us ," another local woman said.  Even aid workers don't feel safe at the camp which has been dubbed a " humanitarian slum ." " There is a problem with alcohol and violence. Even as an aid worker, I've...
Post a Comment
Read more

Around 800 migrants storm fences to enter Spanish enclave in Africa

        Around 800 migrants stormed border fences separating Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta from Morocco to get into Europe, police said Thursday. The Guardia Civil said 602 migrants made it onto Spanish soil in a massive assault on high, barbed-wire fences shortly after dawn. Migrants cut holes in the fences and threw feces and quicklime, a skin irritant, at police officers trying to hold them back, the Guardia Civil said in a statement. They also threw stones at police vehicles, breaking windows, and hurled makeshift flamethrowers at police officers.                       The police statement said 16 migrants were taken to the hospital, while five of 15 police hurt were also hospitalized. The Spanish Red Cross said in a tweet that 132 migrants were hurt in the mass charge. Sub-Saharan Africans living illegally in Morocco try to get to Europe each year by climbing rows of 6-meter (2...
Post a Comment
Read more

Concerns rise for refugees who could face violence if Italian coastguard return them to Libya

Concerns are rising for the thousands of refugees and migrants who risk their lives at sea to get to Europe, following Italy's decision to take those rescued off the coast of Libya back to the country they are fleeing in future. Aid organisations are said to be "horrified" at the idea of taking rescued refugees back to their home country at a time when revelations of the violent beatings and torture they could face on their return are emerging. One Oxfam worker, Stefano Dimarco, said: "In Libya there are no human rights there is we cannot talk about a normal situation." Many Libyan refugees and migrant arrive in Europe by boats that are picked up off the coast of Italy  Credit: ITV News According to Oxfam a major report it is releasing next week is set to reveal dozens of testimonies of torture, sexual violence and murder against refugees and migrants in Libya just as Italy's parliament has authorised its coastguard to help take those pi...
1 comment
Read more