Thirty Nigerian nationals were reportedly arrested in Saudi Arabia for allegedly displaying campaign posters of presidential aspirant of the All Progressive Congress, Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the holy mosque, Kaaba, Saudi Arabia.
According to SaharaReporters, the Nigerians, while on lesser Hajj, Umrah, were reportedly arrested by the Saudi police at the holy mosque as they walk around the Kaaba with Tinubu’s posters lifted up.
The incident happened during the month of Ramadan, shortly before the Eid-El-Fitr (Sallah) celebration.
The aforementioned publication reported that an eyewitness, Murtala Adamu Jega, a Nigerian who also performed the lesser Hajj at the time said, “I’m a witness; I saw them lift Bola Tinubu’s posters at the holy Kaaba.
“This is despicable. Instead of them to devout precious time to pray for peace to return to our country, 30 men made a mockery of our nation by lifting up a politician’s posters in the holy place. Thank God, Saudi authorities were swift to have arrested them right there and then,” he said.
For Zainab Abdullahi, another Nigerian who was at the mosque, “the scenario was a very bad representation of Nigeria’s image before the world, and I think politicians must desist from this bad behaviour”.
Meanwhile, a Saudi Arabian source said those arrested would be charged to court to serve their sentences.
A renowned Islamic Cleric in Nigeria, Sheik Nura Khalid, commended the Saudi authorities for the arrest, saying, “Lifting up a politician’s posters in the holy Kaaba has contravened Islamic traditions.”
