Dodo who made the clarification in a telephone interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday, said the Foreign Affairs Ministry, the Ambassador and the Nigerian Embassy in Riyad have no hand in recruiting Nigerians to work in Saudi Arabia.

He said “I learnt that some Nigerian agents recruit domestic workers from Nigeria to Saudi Arabia. The process is done without the knowledge of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Nigerian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia.”

The ambassador, who said he was in Saudi Arabia only seven months ago, said: “the issue of connivance does not even arise. “I learnt that recruitment of Nigerians to Saudi Arabia had been on for over three years.”

Dodo said that since he assumed duty as ambassador, he noticed an increase in the number of Nigerian women arriving Saudi Arabia to work as maids and decided to intervene.

He said that through his intervention, a total of 1,000 housemaids were deported to Nigeria, explaining that he was able to liberate 120 women, while Saudi Arabian security agents arrested 780 and handed them over to the embassy for onward movement back to the country during my state in the kingdom.”

He said that home based officers working under him received different consular issues such as Social Follow Up Office, Women Deportation Centre, prison and various polices and officers treat the cases with dispatch .

He emphasised that the Mission had also been inundated with different adverse reports on consular issues, ranging from simple to complex many of whom were victims of false promises and deception by local agents in Nigeria.

The ambassador, therefore, called on the media to always crosscheck their facts before publishing and advised reporters to confirm their stories from Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nigerian Embassy and the two agents mentioned in the write up to get the truth on all issues.

“I assure you that the agents involved would tell you that they do not know who the Nigerian Ambassador is, let alone conniving with them.

He advised the reporters “to fear God in all their dealings instead of damaging the reputation of innocent people.”

An online media outfit — The Secret Reporters — had on June 11, 2018 accused the ambassador of conniving with some agents who recruit Nigerian ladies to work as servants/housemaids in Saudi Arabia.

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The Deputy Governor of Madina region, Sheikh Mohammad Albijawi who tendered the apology during a visit to the victims in their hotel assured that the security officials will be sanctioned for the maltreatment.

He further urged Nigerian pilgrims to be of good conduct and perform the annual spiritual pilgrimage based on the religious guidelines and instructions.

He further disclosed that the Saudi authorities have put facilities in place to ensure a hitch free Hajj this year.

The Nigerian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Umaru Salisu Zainabu also commended the Saudi Arabia authorities for a swift response over the incident.

Responding, the tortured pilgrims Audu Damina Muhammad and Ibrahim Nani Godi expressed their gratitude to the Saudi authorities and the National Hajj Commission (NAHCON) for responding to their plight promptly.

The Chairman/CEO, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) Malam Abdullahi Mukhtar Muhammad had recently announced that 79,000 intending Pilgrims were going to perform this year’s Hajj. This he revealed comprised 60,000 under state government quota and 19,000 under private tour operators.

The first airlift from Nigeria took off from the Abuja International Airport on July 30, 2017 and would be concluded by August 26, 2017 when the Jeddah International Airport will be closed.

The return of Nigerian pilgrims, will commence on September 6 and the last flight will be on October 8.

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Usman made the disclosure during a condolence visit by the Nigerian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Ahmed Umar, on behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari to three Nigerian states that lost six pilgrims in the Makkah crane tragedy.

The six Nigerians who died are one male from Kaduna State, four females from Gombe and one male from Katsina.

The coordinator said the officials that included Nigerian medical personal were arrested on their way back from Jidda by Saudi security for embarking on a trip outside Makkah without official permit.

“We are trying to secure the release of our pilgrim official who was arrested alongside his medical team in their ambulance and taken to prison by Saudi security while on their way back from Jidda,” the coordinator said.

Usman, who did not disclose how many officials and the state which they are representing, appealed to pilgrims to desist from traveling out of Makkah without official permit, at least until after Arafat.

“Pilgrims should not leave Makkah at least until after Hajj and with official permit, before any pilgrims can travel for any other reason. They should also ensure adherence to the laid down rules and regulations of the Saudi authorities,” he said.

He added that rescue officials during the Grand Mosque crane tragedy were able to identify Adamu Shuaibu Kargi from Kubau Local Government Area of Kaduna State who died among the 107 pilgrims with his uniform because he was not carrying his identification card.

“We were able to identify the deceased from Kaduna State by his uniform because at the time he was not carrying his Pilgrims Identity Card and the hand identification band. But we commend our pilgrims for wearing their uniforms all the time,” he said.

Earlier, the Nigerian Ambassador to Saudi while delivering President Buhari’s condolences to the affected state pilgrims, said the Saudi authorities are taking all necessary measures to know what actually happened in order to avoid its re-occurance in future.

“They are also taking all kinds of measures to ensure that this kind of disaster does not happen again,” he added.

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A statement signed by the Public Relations Officer of the commission, Uba Mana, in Abuja, said the figure was released by Saudi Deputy Minister of Hajj, Dr Sahal Bin Abdallah, while receiving a delegation led by Nigerian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Abubakar Bunu.

The statement said the Nigerian delegation which was in the Kingdom to hold talks with their Saudi counterparts as part of preparations for the 2014 Hajj, comprised representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and NAHCON.

According to Bin Abdallah, the 20 per cent global reduction of last year will continue this year because the planned expansion is yet to be completed.

He assured that when the expansion was completed, Nigeria would not only be able to regain its original 95,000 slots, but would surpass it.

Responding, Bunu called for a better working relationship between the two countries and thanked Saudi authorities for continuously making the hajj less cumbersome.

Nigeria Consul-General in Jeddah, Ahmed Umar, decried the habit of arresting Nigeria pilgrims by Saudi authorities and taking them to prison without informing the Consulate.

He also expressed displeasure over denying Nigerian officials the access to such pilgrims.

The commission on its part lauded the 50 per cent of Nigerian pilgrims granted permission to land directly in Madinah last year and prayed for its sustenance

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