Abuja — The Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Abuja has said it is not responsible for any delay in the airlifting of Muslim pilgrims from Nasarawa State as alleged.

This was in response to the statement made by the publicity secretary of Nasarawa State Muslim Pilgrims Board, Alhaji Ibrahim Shigafarta over reports that 180 pilgrims were stranded in the state.

According to the report published in LEADERSHIP Newspaper of November 6, 2009, about 180 Muslim pilgrims from the state were said to have been stranded at the NYSC camp in Keffi, venue for this year's hajj while three others have died.

In a letter from the ambassador, Khaled Abdrabuh made available to LEADERSHIP, he explained that the embassy in Abuja and its consulate in Kano work 24 hours in collaboration with the National Hajj Commission (NAHCON) to issue visas within 48 hours on arrival of passports inspite of the huge numbers received daily.

Abdrabuh, in the letter exonerated the embassy and said that if there are any other reasons for the delay, the embassy of Saudi should not be used as an excuse to justify that.

LEADERSHIP in the report said that already, Max Air, the official carriers of the pilgrims had closed its operation in Abuja and asked the remaining ones to board any of the Max flights to Jeddah but the management is still pleading with them to stop over in Abuja to complete the airlifting.