Saudi Arabia canceled the visas of 264 passengers from Nigeria who arrived in Jeddah, according to a report. The passengers, many on a visit for Lesser Hajj, had their visas revoked for unclear reasons.
The flight started from Lagos, then Kano, and landed in Jeddah. Air Peace operated the flight, just a week after launching direct flights to Saudi Arabia.
Saudi authorities surprised airline staff by announcing the visa cancellations upon landing. A source mentioned that the passengers had thorough screenings, and there were no visa issues. The cancellation was suspicious, possibly to discourage Air Peace’s direct flight option, which is seen as competition to other, more expensive foreign airlines.
The Advanced Passengers Information System (APIS) was used during check-in, monitored by both Lagos and Jeddah authorities. After Nigerian embassy intervention, Saudi authorities reduced the number of passengers to be returned from 264 to 177.
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