Three Nigerian pilgrims freed in Saudi Arabia after NDLEA intervention

Three Nigerian pilgrims who were wrongfully detained in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on alleged drug trafficking charges have been released.

Their freedom comes after four weeks in custody and is the result of a coordinated effort led by the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd).

The three pilgrims, Mrs. Maryam Hussain Abdullahi, Mrs. Abdullahi Bahijja Aminu, and Mr. Abdulhamid Saddieq, were arrested after an organized syndicate at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) in Kano tagged their luggage with bags containing illicit drugs.

The pilgrims were traveling on Ethiopian Airlines flight ET940 to Jeddah on August 6, 2025, for a lesser hajj.

Upon receiving complaints from the families, NDLEA launched an immediate investigation. The probe uncovered a drug trafficking syndicate and led to the arrest of its alleged kingpin, Mohammed Ali Abubakar, also known as Bello Karama, along with three other members: Celestina Emmanuel Yayock, Abdulbasit Adamu Sagagi, and Jazuli Kabir. All four have since been charged in court.

Armed with evidence proving the pilgrims' innocence, General Marwa engaged with his counterpart at the General Directorate of Narcotics Control (GDNC) in Saudi Arabia.

This diplomatic effort was fully supported by Nigerian government officials, including President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN; 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.

One of the pilgrims was released on September 14, with the remaining two freed on September 15, 2025.

General Marwa expressed his satisfaction with the outcome and thanked his Saudi counterpart for upholding the spirit of the Memorandum of Understanding between NDLEA and GDNC.

He attributed the success of the intervention to the commitment of President Tinubu, stating, “The biggest support of our effort on this case came from President Tinubu who is committed to ensuring that every Nigerian gets their deserved respect and fair treatment wherever they are across the world.”

He also extended his gratitude to the other key government ministers and the National Security Adviser for their unwavering support throughout the process.

This positive development highlights the Nigerian government's commitment to protecting its citizens abroad and the effectiveness of international cooperation in combating drug trafficking syndicates.