Nigeria Protests Saudi Arabia’s Detention of Female Pilgrims
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Nigeria has protested to Saudi Arabia’s authorities over the detention of more than 1,000 female pilgrims who arrived in the kingdom for the annual Hajj pilgrimage without male guardians, state-run Radio Nigeria said.
Radio Nigeria said the country has suspended the airlifting of pilgrims until the matter is resolved. Hatem Qadi, a spokesman for the Saudi Hajj Ministry, said the rules stipulate that women below 45 must be accompanied by a male guardian, and that the condition has been applied for years and is spelled out on hajj visas.