Saudi authorities have freed three Nigerian pilgrims who were detained in Jeddah on allegations of drug trafficking, after weeks of diplomatic negotiations and security interventions involving Nigerian officials.
The Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa, announced the development at a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday. He was represented at the briefing by the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Mr. Femi Babafemi.
He said the freed pilgrims are Mrs. Maryam Abdullahi, Mrs. Bahijja Abdullahi, and Mr. Abdulhamid Saddieq, who had spent four weeks in Saudi custody before regaining their freedom.
According to The Guardian NG, he also “said that their release came after his sustained interventions and engagement with the leadership of the General Directorate of Narcotics Control (GDNC) in Saudi Arabia.”
He explained that the efforts were fully supported by President Bola Tinubu, alongside the contributions of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN.
This, he said, included efforts from the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Tuggar, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo, SAN, and the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.
Airport drug syndicate linked to detention
Media reports indicate that investigations by the NDLEA revealed that a drug syndicate operating at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano, had tagged illicit drug-laden bags with the names of unsuspecting pilgrims.
This, he said, refers to people who traveled via Ethiopian Airlines flight ET940 from Kano to Jeddah on August 6, 2025, for the lesser hajj.
“Following petitions from the families of the detainees, the NDLEA launched a probe which led to the arrest of the suspected mastermind, 55-year-old Mohammed Ali Abubakar.”
“Abubakar who is also known as Bello Karama was arrested with three accomplices. The accomplices include airline officials identified as Celestina Yayock, Abdulbasit Sagagi, and Jazuli Kabir,”he said.
Marwa, however, said that charges had since been filed against the four suspects in Nigeria.
“Armed with the outcome of our investigation, charges filed against the syndicate members, and other evidence to establish the innocence of the pilgrims, we engaged Saudi authorities.
“This was at multiple levels, including in Saudi Arabia, in line with President Tinubu’s directive that no Nigerian should suffer unjustly in a foreign land,”he said.
The NDLEA boss said that following the engagements, one of the pilgrims was released on Sept. 14, while the remaining two regained freedom on Sept. 15.
Marwa praised the Saudi General Directorate of Narcotics Control (GDNC) for upholding the Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation between both agencies. He emphasized that the strongest backing for the intervention came from President Bola Tinubu, whose commitment ensured that Nigerians are treated with dignity and fairness globally.
He further acknowledged the crucial roles played by the Attorney General, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Aviation, and the National Security Adviser in securing the release. According to him, the development reaffirms Nigeria’s determination to protect its citizens and guarantee that no Nigerian faces unjust punishment for crimes they did not commit abroad.
