LAGOS, April 15 (Xinhuanet) -- The Saudi Arabian authorities have expressed anger over the continuous stay of about 27,000 Nigerians, and urged Nigeria to do everything to repatriate them, state media reported Friday.

    Alhaji Abdullahi Tanko, Nigeria's minister of state for foreign affairs, said that his Saudi counterpart had written him a strongly worded letter threatening to reduce the country's slot for next Haji over the 27,000 Nigerians, said the News Agency of Nigeria.

    "The Saudi authorities have warned that the figures (27,000) would be subtracted from the 65,000 quota allocated to Nigeria for annual pilgrimage" if the Nigerian government fails to take action, Tanko said.

    With such threat on its head, Tanko said the government was doing everything possible to bring home its citizens.

    "We are working with the Saudi authorities in that regard. We have urged them to repatriate those they can find," Tanko said.

    He added that government's efforts had ensured the return of some of the illegal immigrants while efforts were on to bring back the remaining.

    Nigeria is Africa's top oil producer but the majority of its 130 million people live in abject poverty. Many people go abroad by all means for a better life. Enditem