NIGERIA MUSLIM WOMEN DEPORTED ON THEIR WAY TO MECCA RETURNED HOME


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After spending five days at the airport of Jeddah and Medina Nigerian Muslim women expected to go on pilgrimage to mecca finally returned home on September 27, 2012 after being stopped by the Saudi Arabia authorities’ because they have not fulfill the requirement to travel to mecca.

The Muslim women were supposed to have male relatives as an escort to mecca but according to Nigerian diplomats, the agreement between the National Hajji Commission of Nigeria and the Saudi Arabia authorities issues Visas to Nigerian Muslim women if they are accompanied by the Hajji Committee officials. Most of the women detained were aged between 25 and 35 year ,many have lost most their belonging s and are now force to live a community life as many of them now share the same toilet and sleep on the floor. They also complain of the poor atmosphere and that they are being victimized over a situation in which they know nothing about.
According to some of the victims, the real problem was that of their names .Most of them did not carry the names of their husband or as their escort in their passport. As a Nigerian Muslim woman its is normal for you not to bear your husbands name. They blame both governments for not clarifying the demands of their committee and say if Saudi Arabia was not a holy place they would not have liked to return there anytime soon. They can not understand why they are been issued a visa and they can not travel. The Saudi Arabia ambassador has receives a 24 hour ultimatum by Nigeria vice president on Wednesday to resolve this problem.

Every year about two million Muslims holy ones go to Mecca which is assumed to be the holiest place in Islam in order to take part in an event which combines piety and passion. More than two million Muslims are due to go for pilgrimage on Mecca for this year’s Hajj, which is set to finish after a four-day around the 24-29 October depending on lunar observations.

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