Three Nigerian Pilgrims Freed in Saudi Arabia After Wrongful Drug Trafficking Detention
Three Nigerian pilgrims who were held in Saudi Arabia over alleged drug trafficking have been released, according to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The announcement was made during a press briefing on Wednesday.
Femi Babafemi, Director of Media and Advocacy at the NDLEA, said the release followed sustained diplomatic efforts and collaboration between Nigerian authorities and the Saudi government. He confirmed that the pilgrims would be returning to Nigeria shortly.
“The Saudi authorities have released three Nigerians who had been detained in Jeddah since last month over drug trafficking allegations,” Babafemi said, naming the released individuals as Maryam Hussain Abdullahi, Abdullahi Bahijja Aminu, and Abdulhamid Saddieq.
He urged air travelers to ensure their luggage is properly tagged and verified before departure to avoid falling victim to criminal schemes involving baggage tampering.
The case dates back to August when the NDLEA uncovered a drug syndicate responsible for planting illegal substances in the luggage of unsuspecting pilgrims at Malam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA).
The agency said the operation led to the wrongful arrest of the three pilgrims in Saudi Arabia.
According to the NDLEA, the syndicate was led by Mohammed Abubakar, also known as Bello Karama, a 55-year-old man who allegedly orchestrated the smuggling of drugs aboard Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET940 en route to Jeddah via Addis Ababa on August 6.
Despite each pilgrim checking in only one personal bag, six additional bags were secretly tagged in their names—three of which contained narcotics.
These actions, Babafemi noted, were carried out in collusion with staff from Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCOL).
Karama reportedly traveled separately on Egypt Air, while his accomplices used the Ethiopian Airlines flight to smuggle the drug-laden bags.
Other arrested suspects include Abdulbasit Adamu, Murtala Olalekan, Celestina Yayock, and Jazuli Kabir, who have allegedly confessed and had payments traced to them.
Babafemi revealed that NDLEA Chairman Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.) had presented Nigeria’s investigation findings to the Saudi General Directorate of Narcotics Control (GDNC) during a recent international narcotics summit, pressing for the release of the detained pilgrims.
“Equipped with strong evidence, including charges filed against the real culprits and proof of the pilgrims’ innocence, Marwa held several engagements with his Saudi counterpart in line with President Bola Tinubu’s directive to protect Nigerians abroad from unjust treatment,” Babafemi added.
He confirmed that one of the detainees was released on September 14, with the other two freed on September 15, 2025.
Marwa expressed gratitude to the Saudi GDNC for honoring the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between both agencies and acknowledged the support of various Nigerian officials, including the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN); Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar; Aviation and Aerospace Development Minister Festus Keyamo (SAN); and National Security Adviser Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.
“Our biggest backing came from President Tinubu, whose commitment to protecting Nigerians overseas played a critical role in resolving this case,” Marwa stated.
“This outcome reaffirms that no Nigerian should be unjustly punished for crimes they did not commit.”
The incident has reignited concerns about security and baggage handling practices at Nigerian airports. Authorities have pledged to step up monitoring and tighten procedures at Kano airport to prevent a repeat of such occurrences.
