Hajj: Train officials delay Nigerian journalists despite Nusuk cards, visas
By Habeebat Ajayi from Mecca Three Nigerian journalists covering the 2026 Hajj exercise were reportedly delayed by Saudi train officials upon arrival at the Haramain High Speed Railway station in Makkah despite possessing valid travel documents, including visas and Nusuk Card. The affected journalists were identified as Abubakar Usman Akwanga of the Nigerian Television Authority, […]
By Habeebat Ajayi from Mecca
Three Nigerian journalists covering the 2026 Hajj exercise were reportedly delayed by Saudi train officials upon arrival at the Haramain High Speed Railway station in Makkah despite possessing valid travel documents, including visas and Nusuk Card.
The affected journalists were identified as Abubakar Usman Akwanga of the Nigerian Television Authority, Saad Abdulmutallib, and Abdulrahman Kadiri of the News Agency of Nigeria.
The journalists, who are members of the National Media Team covering the Hajj exercise, said they were subjected to extensive questioning and verification checks shortly after arriving in Makkah around a few minutes past 9pm.
According to them, Saudi train officials repeatedly demanded their Nusuk cards and visas and carried out detailed scrutiny of their documents before temporarily preventing them from leaving the station.
The journalists also disclosed that during the process, officials wrote statements in Arabic for them despite their inability to fully understand the language.
One of the affected journalists explained that the language barrier made the situation more frustrating as they struggled to communicate with the officials.
He added that at some point, he requested permission to use the restroom but was denied, forcing him to rely on body language and gestures while attempting to explain himself and clear doubts raised by the officials.
According to him, officials of the Nigerian liaison office were already on their way to intervene before they were eventually released after nearly one hour of questioning and document verification.
“There was a lot of back and forth before we were finally allowed to leave for our hotel,” he said.
Following their release, the journalists were reportedly conveyed from the train station to their hotels in a Hummer bus provided free of charge.
The incident highlights the heightened security and documentation checks currently being enforced by Saudi authorities during the ongoing Hajj operations, particularly around transportation hubs and pilgrim movement corridors.
The journalists had travelled aboard the Haramain High Speed Railway train from Medina to Mecca, a journey which typically lasts between two and two-and-a-half hours depending on the number of stops.