By FORTUNE ABANG

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday clarified that Nigeria is not on the list of countries facing an entry ban into Saudi Arabia from April 13.

Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar issued the clarification through a statement by his Special Assistant on Media and Communications Strategy, Alkasim Abdulkadir.

The minister said Saudi authorities have officially confirmed that the viral memo suggesting Nigeria’s inclusion in the ban list is false.

He called the document, which named Nigeria, Egypt, India, Pakistan and others as banned, misleading and inaccurate.

“The Saudi Tourism Centre confirmed no such directive exists. Current official travel guidelines only apply to the Hajj pilgrimage.

“To clarify, the only restriction concerns tourist visa holders during the Hajj period,” Tuggar said.

Holders of tourist visas cannot perform Hajj, enter or remain in Makkah between April 29 and June 11 (01 Thul Quda to 14 Thul Hijjah 1446 AH).

“The Hajj visa remains the only valid entry permit for pilgrims during that time,” the minister stressed.

Tuggar advised the public to ignore the misleading memo and confirm travel details through official sources before making plans.

“Sharing unverified information causes confusion and may affect travel arrangements,” he warned.

“For accurate updates, travellers should consult official Saudi sources, the Nigerian Foreign Ministry, or recognised diplomatic channels,” he added. (NAN)