By Hussaini Umar
Saudi Arabian authorities have released three Nigerian pilgrims who were wrongfully detained in Jeddah on alleged drug trafficking charges.
The freed pilgrims — Mrs. Maryam Hussain Abdullahi, Mrs. Abdullahi Bahijja Aminu, and Mr. Abdulhamid Saddieq — had spent four weeks in custody before their release this week.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, Femi Babafemi, spokesperson for the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), said the pilgrims’ freedom came after weeks of sustained diplomatic and security efforts led by the NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), with the cooperation of Saudi Arabia’s General Directorate of Narcotics Control (GDNC). The intervention was also backed by the firm support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
How the Wrongful Arrest Happened
Investigations revealed that a drug syndicate operating at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) in Kano had planted illicit drugs in luggage falsely tagged with the pilgrims’ names. The trio had traveled on Ethiopian Airlines flight ET940, which departed Kano on August 6, 2025, for lesser hajj in Jeddah. Upon arrival, they were arrested by Saudi authorities.
The NDLEA launched a probe after the victims’ families alerted the agency about their detention. This led to the arrest of a 55-year-old drug kingpin, Mohammed Ali Abubakar (alias Bello Karama), along with three accomplices, including airline officials. They were allegedly responsible for the drug shipment that implicated the innocent pilgrims.
Diplomatic Intervention and Release
Armed with the investigation results, charges against the syndicate, and evidence of the pilgrims’ innocence, Marwa engaged Saudi counterparts at multiple levels, including direct meetings in the Kingdom. These efforts, aligned with President Tinubu’s directive that no Nigerian should suffer unjustly in any foreign land, paved the way for the pilgrims’ freedom.
One of the three was released on Sunday, September 14, 2025, while the remaining two regained freedom on Monday, September 15, 2025.
A Diplomatic Victory
Babafemi noted that the NDLEA chief commended the Saudi GDNC for honoring the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between both countries on narcotics control and partnership.
Quoting Marwa, Babafemi said:
“The biggest support for our effort on this case came from President Tinubu, who is committed to ensuring that every Nigerian gets their deserved respect and fair treatment across the world. This case proves that no Nigerian should be unjustly punished for crimes they know nothing about.”
He also acknowledged the role of top government officials who supported the case, including the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Tuggar; Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN; and the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu. With the release of the three pilgrims, Nigeria has once again highlighted the importance of safeguarding its citizens abroad against criminal syndicates exploiting global travel routes.
That is good.