Despite the outrage against the detention of Nigerian pilgrims in Saudi Arabia, 159 of them were deported Wednesday. This development came as the National Assembly asked President Goodluck Jonathan to intervene in the matter while Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo requested the Saudi authorities to expedite action and resolve the issue. The Saudi Arabia authorities allegedly deported the 159 Nigerians who had embarked on the 2012 hajj exercise to Mecca for irregular papers. Those deported by the authorities were females whose travel documents were arranged by travel agents. A source close to National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) said last night that those who were deported were intending pilgrims who had gone to Mecca with the title of ‘miss’, which was against one of the conditions for fulfilling the annual hajj to Mecca. It was further learnt that among those affected were 13 from Oyo State while the remaining pilgrims were from the Northern states of the country. The deportees were brought back to the country through Med-View and Max Air, which had earlier taken them to the country for the exercise. However, other 341 pilgrims were still being held in the holy land by the Saudi authorities, awaiting deportation. When The Guardian contacted the Director, Public Affairs, NAHCON, Alhaji Uba Manna, he confirmed the return of the Nigerians, but insisted that they were not deported. Rather, he explained that it was the NAHCON authorities that decided to return the pilgrims due to unfavourable condition at one of the landing points for Nigeria. Nigeria usually lands in Medina and Jebba for hajj exercise. He explained that the returnees, all females, were brought back because they had no guardians, which he confirmed was against the annual exercise, saying that for women to observe the operation, they must have guardians who are either their blood relations or husbands. He insisted that if they were deported, their passports would have been stamped and would not be able to return to Saudi Arabia in the next five years, adding that in order to avoid that, NAHCON decided to bring them back to Nigeria. He could not, however, ascertain if the returnee pilgrims would still be able to observe the exercise before it ends this year. Sambo spoke when he invited the Saudi Arabian Ambassador to Nigeria Khaled O.Y. Abdrabuh to his office specifically to register Nigeria’s displeasure over the treatment meted out to her pilgrims. The vice president noted that reports available to him suggested that only Nigerian pilgrims were subjected to such dehumanising treatment and requested the Saudi authorities to apply caution and flexibility to allow Nigerian pilgrims undertake their sacred religious duties. While explaining the position of the Saudi Arabian government, Abdrahuh said that Nigeria was not treated in isolation but that it affected all countries around the world. He said that it was not a new policy but that the Saudi government decided to be flexible in previous years but was strict this time around. He said that a meeting was going on in Ryadh the Saudi Arabian capital by the Ministries of Hajj, Foreign Affairs, Interior and the Governor of Mecca with a view to resolving the impasse speedily. He assured that the matter would be resolved within the 24 hours as agreed. Senator Abubakar Bagudu [Kebbi Central] who moved the motion on the matter yesterday on the floor of the Senate said that the stranded pilgrims included women and there was an urgent need for the Federal Government to intervene in the matter. Moving the motion entitled “Refusal of the Saudi Arabian authorities to grant entry to over 500 Nigerian female pilgrims,” he said : “Senate notes that starting from July 2012, over 500 Nigerian female pilgrims from various states of the federation who arrived in Saudi Arabia for this year’s hajj were denied entry upon arrival at the airport in Jedda and Medina. “Notes that hajj is mandatory upon all Muslims who can afford it, at least once in their lifetime; it is in this respect that the pilgrims applied for and obtained visa to Saudi. “Aware that all the requirements for visa and entry into Saudi Arabia had been met by the pilgrims and were still denied entry. “Notes that the Sultan of Sokoto who is the Amiral Hajj, Nigerian Ambassador to Saudi and Minister of Foreign Affairs have all intervened but to no avail. Accordingly resolves to urge the Federal Government to take all necessary steps and prevail on the Saudi authorities to grant the pilgrims entry to perform their religious obligation.’’ Those who supported the motion were Ahmed Abdul Ningi [Bauchi Central) , Senator Ganiyu Solomon (Lagos West), Senator Mohammed Saleh (Kaduna Central), Senator Uche Chukwumerije [Abia North] and Muhammad Maigoro [Kebbi South]. Also yesterday, the Senate committed to the Committees on Drugs, Narcotics and Financial Crimes a bill seeking to amend the Terrorism Prevention Act. The highlights of the bill sponsored by Majority Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba include territorial application to the law and measures to combat terrorism financing. On its part, the House of Representatives yesterday said President Goodluck Jonathan should wade into the matter by directly calling the Saudi Arabia King, Abdullah bin Abdulaziz. The call was made at an interactive session by the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) and the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Chairperson of the committee, Nnena Elendu-Ukeje in her remarks at the session stated that the call was necessary in view of the continued detention of more pilgrims The Chairman of NAHCON, Mallam Mohammad Musa Bello disclosed that in spite of all entreaties, there had been no official communication of any kind from the Saudi Arabian authorities. According to him, the commission has been complying with all rules governing hajj operations, while also wondering why this development is unfolding with no direct explanations by the Saudi authorities.