By Prosper Mene
Saudi Arabian authorities have freed three Nigerian pilgrims who were wrongfully detained in Jeddah for over a month on allegations of drug trafficking.
The release, confirmed by Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Wednesday, follows intensive investigations and high-level interventions by the Nigerian government, highlighting the perils of drug syndicates targeting unsuspecting travelers.
The pilgrims, identified as Mrs. Maryam Hussain Abdullahi (a 39-year-old mother of five), Mrs. Abdullahi Bahijja Aminu, and Mr. Abdulhamid Saddieq, were arrested upon arrival in Jeddah on August 6, 2025, after completing their lesser Hajj pilgrimage.
They had traveled on Ethiopian Airlines flight ET940 from Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) in Kano.
NDLEA investigations revealed that a criminal syndicate at the airport had planted illicit drugs in bags tagged with the pilgrims’ names, framing them for trafficking. Each pilgrim had checked in only one personal bag, making the setup particularly insidious.
The ordeal began when families of the detainees lodged complaints with NDLEA Chairman and CEO, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd.), prompting a swift probe. The investigation led to the arrest of the alleged ringleader, 55-year-old Mohammed Ali Abubakar (aka Bello Karama), and three accomplices, including airline officials Celestina Emmanuel Yayock, Abdulbasit Adamu Sagagi, and Jazuli Kabir.
Confessors admitted to smuggling the drug-laden luggage aboard the flight, with Karama traveling separately on Egypt Air. Evidence, including traced payments, proved the pilgrims’ innocence.
Armed with this evidence, Marwa engaged Saudi Arabia’s General Directorate of Narcotics Control (GDNC) through multiple channels, including visits to the Kingdom, in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive that no Nigerian should suffer unjustly abroad.
The effort received backing from key officials, including Attorney General Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar, Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo (SAN), and National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, as well as the Nigerian Consul General in Jeddah, Amb. Ibrahim Nayaya. One pilgrim was released on September 14, 2025, with the other two freed the following day.
NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, announced the development at a press conference in Abuja, stating the pilgrims would soon return home. Marwa commended the Saudi GDNC for upholding the agencies’ Memorandum of Understanding on anti-drug collaboration and praised President Tinubu’s commitment to protecting Nigerians overseas. “This case underscores the biggest support from President Tinubu, who ensures every Nigerian gets respect and fair treatment worldwide,” Babafemi quoted Marwa as saying.
