Saudi Arabia Frees Three Nigerians Wrongly Detained Over Drug Charges

By Oluwakemi Kindness

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has announced the release of three Nigerian pilgrims who had been detained in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, for over a month on allegations of drug trafficking.

NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed the development at a news conference in Abuja on Wednesday.

He identified those freed as Maryam Hussain Abdullahi, Abdullahi Bahijja Aminu, and Abdulhamid Saddieq, who were arrested shortly after arriving in Jeddah on August 6 for the lesser hajj.

Babafemi explained that their ordeal began after a criminal syndicate operating at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) tagged bags containing illicit drugs with their names.

The trio, who travelled on Ethiopian Airlines flight ET940, were unsuspecting victims of the scheme.

Following appeals from the victims’ families, NDLEA Chairman Brigadier General, Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd.), ordered a full investigation which uncovered the syndicate behind the plot.

The probe, he recalled led to the arrest of the mastermind, 55-year-old Mohammed Ali Abubakar, alias Bello Karama, alongside three others, Celestina Emmanuel Yayock, Abdulbasit Adamu Sagagi, and Jazuli Kabir — including airline officials involved in the trafficking network. Charges have already been filed against them in court.

Armed with this evidence, Marwa engaged his counterpart at the General Directorate of Narcotics Control (GDNC) in Saudi Arabia at multiple levels, presenting findings that proved the innocence of the detained pilgrims.

Babafemi disclosed that one of the pilgrims was freed on Sunday, September 14, while the remaining two were released the following day, Monday, September 15.

Speaking on the outcome, Marwa commended the Saudi authorities for honoring the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between NDLEA and GDNC on drug control cooperation.

He also expressed gratitude to President Tinubu, as well as the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN); Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Tuggar; Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo (SAN); and the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, for their support throughout the case.

“The biggest support of our effort on this case came from President Tinubu, who is committed to ensuring that every Nigerian is accorded respect and fair treatment anywhere in the world. This case is a demonstration of that commitment, that no Nigerian will be unjustly punished for crimes they know nothing about,” Marwa stated.

Babafemi added that the arrest of the Kano airport syndicate members sends a strong signal to criminal networks attempting to exploit innocent citizens for international drug trafficking, warning that NDLEA will continue to expose and dismantle such syndicates.