Authorities of Saudi Arabia have refused to grant over-flight permits to Nigerian cargo planes carrying military equipment, including armoured tanks from Pakistan, which Nigerian authorities have procured in order to fight the Boko Haram rebel group, media reported on Monday.

It will be recalled that IANS, quoting Pakistani officials in Abuja, early this year, reported that Pakistan had pledged to support Nigeria in its fight against Boko Haram.

It was gathered from intelligence sources in Nigeria that the decision by the Saudi authorities was certain to cause a diplomatic row between the two countries.

President Jonathan, it was gathered, gave the green light to the military authorities to procure arms from countries like Pakistan and Russia other than its allies, including the United States of America, United Kingdom and France.

“With the position of the West, Nigeria decided to turn to the East, chiefly Pakistan, from which the Federal Government was able to procure a huge cache of military hardware needed to prosecute the war against Boko Haram,” the sources said.

“We got permission to fly through Sudan and other countries but have been blocked by Saudi Arabia, which has impeded the urgency of the operation,” the intelligence sources was further quoted.

•Text courtesy of Nigerian Tribune. Photo shows Saudi King Abdullah.