Saudi Arabia Frees 3 Nigerians After Drugs Were Planted in Their Luggage

Femi Ashekun/

Three Nigerian pilgrims detained in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on allegations of drug trafficking have been released after spending four weeks in custody.

The freed Nigerians are Mrs. Maryam Hussain Abdullahi, Mrs. Abdullahi Bahijja Aminu, and Mr. Abdulhamid Saddieq.

According to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the arrests stemmed from a drug syndicate operating at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) in Kano.

Bags containing illicit substances were allegedly tagged with the names of the three pilgrims, without their knowledge, after they boarded Ethiopian Airlines flight ET940 bound for Jeddah on August 6 for the lesser hajj.

Following complaints from their families, the NDLEA chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd.), launched an investigation.

The probe led to the arrest of a 55-year-old kingpin, Mohammed Ali Abubakar, also known as Bello Karama, along with airline officials Celestina Emmanuel Yayock, Abdulbasit Adamu Sagagi, and Jazuli Kabir.

Charges have been filed against them by the NDLEA.

One pilgrim was released on September 14, and the remaining two were freed on September 15, after diplomatic efforts involving the NDLEA, Saudi Arabian narcotics authorities, and support from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and several key ministers.

NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, urged travellers to double-check luggage tags before travel to avoid being wrongly implicated.

Advocate for tighter security measures at Nigerian airports have also renewed calls for stricter oversight of airport baggage handling.

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