The Nigerian government has launched an investigation into the cancellation of Air Peace passengers‘ visas upon arrival in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
The flight, which departed from Lagos via Kano, experienced the cancellation of visas for all 264 passengers, leading to the return of some passengers to Nigeria.
According to TheCable’s source, the cancellation came as a surprise to passengers and airline personnel.
This is because they had gone through the advanced passenger prescreening system (APPS). The APPS was also monitored by Saudi Arabia authorities before the flight left Nigeria.
The source questioned whether the development was a plot to dissuade Air Peace from continuing operations on the route.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed concerns over the incident. It stated that Nigeria and Saudi Arabia are strategic partners working to prevent the recurrence of such incidents.
The cancellation of visas raises questions about the reasons behind the decision. It also questions its potential impact on the relationship between the two countries.
“In this regard, investigation is ongoing in both Nigeria and Saudi Arabia. The affected passengers are, therefore, implored to keep calm, while the matter is being resolved,” the statement added.
The cancellation has also been suggested by some experts to be influenced by geopolitics.
John Ojikutu, CEO of Centurion Aviation Security and Safety Consult in Nigeria, pointed out the potential geopolitical factors behind the incident.
To prevent such occurrences, he recommended that the Nigerian government designate domestic airlines with foreign operations as flag carriers, similar to the approach adopted by the United States.
The geopolitical implications of this incident highlight the complexities and challenges faced by airlines operating in international relations.
