The Saudi embassy had distributed the dates in the presence of its 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 in Abuja.
A source at the Saudi embassy who asked not to be named said it was “embarrassing and sad to see gifts meant for Muslims during the Ramadan are being sold in the open market.”
Worried by the sordid development, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has apologised to the government of Saudi Arabia over the sales of the free dates.
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It was disclosed that about 200 tons of dates were packaged and circulated as gifts to Nigerian Muslims.
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.
“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,” he said.
The ministry, according to him, expressed gratitude to the Saudi government for the generosity during the holy month of Ramadan.
“We look forward to continuous close cooperation as well as fruitful and fraternal relations between our two countries,” he added.