Nigerian pilgrims smash Saudi banks’ windows – Daily Trust
November 4, 2009 by Bunmi Awolusi
Several banks in the holy Saudi Arabian city of Medina had their doors broken and their glass windows smashed yesterday when thousands of Nigerian pilgrims stormed the financial houses to cash their travellers’ cheques. Some of the banks that recorded smashed windows include NCB, Riyad Bank, SABB, Saudi Hollandi Bank, Banque Saudi Fransi, Arab National Bank and Bank Aljazira. The Saudi authorities formally protested to the Nigerian Embassy in Riyadh yesterday about the Nigerian pilgrims’ conduct.
There were rowdy scenes in those banks when the Nigerian pilgrims, who’s Basic Travelling Allowances [BTAs] were in travellers’ cheques, descended on them. Daily Trust reports that this year’s pilgrims found it difficult to cash their cheques as soon as they arrived in Jeddah, as it used to be in the past. Daily Trust could not however establish the reasons for the new exchange regime.
Officials from the Saudi Central Bank went to the Nigeria Hajj Mission in Medina last Sunday to formally register their complaints over the attitude of some Nigerian pilgrims in the banks and to appeal to Nigerian officials to prevail on the pilgrims on the need to be patient in whatever they do while in the holy land.
Head of the Nigeria Mission in Medina and National Commissioner in the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) Alhaji Musa Isa confirmed receiving the formal protest, saying measures have already been taken to arrest the situation. He said he was not happy over the incident and the mission is doing its best to project the good image of Nigeria in the holy land.
