Nigerian government is apologizing to Saudi Arabia for selling free dates

The Nigerian federal government has apologised to the government of Saudi Arabia for selling dates donated as gift by the Arab countries to Nigerian Muslims. The Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs apologised for the 200 tons of dates which were not meant to be sold to the people but end up in Abuja open market. 

The ministry, in a statement by its spokesperson, Clement Aduku, expressed “disappointment” over the “unfortunate turn of events” but said the matter is being investigated to avoid a repeat in the future, Daily Trust reports.Aduku said the dates were warehoused by Saudi embassy in Abuja and distributed in the presence of the Charge d’Affaires, Dr Yahya Ali Mughram and the ministry’s director of Middle East and Gulf in conjunction with the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons. 

He said: “It is important to note that once the dates were delivered to their final destinations, the ministry of foreign affairs became devoid of any subsequent responsibility. It is therefore disappointing to learn that some of the consignment is being sold for profit." The ministry, according to him, expressed gratitude to the Saudi government for the generosity during the holy month of Ramadan.

He said: “We look forward to continuous close cooperation as well as fruitful and fraternal relations between our two countries." Recall that We earlier reported that the Saudi Arabia government donated 200 tons of dates to Nigerian Muslims during the months of Ramadan. 

The items were presented to the minister of state for foreign affairs, Hajiya Khadija Bukar Abba Ibrahim, by the Charge d’Affaires, Dr Yahya Ali Mughram. Mughram wished Nigeria and Saudi Arabia peace, progress and prosperity while expressing the wishes of the kingdom for stronger bilateral ties between the two countries.