The Saudi Arabian authorities have released three Nigerian pilgrims who were arrested and held in Jeddah for over a month on suspicion of drug trafficking.
The freed individuals, Maryam Abdullahi, Abdullahi Aminu, and Abdulhamid Saddieq, had been held by the Saudi General Directorate of Narcotics Control (GDNC) for four weeks following their arrival in Jeddah aboard Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET940 from Kano in August for the lesser hajj.
Their release came after sustained diplomatic and operational efforts led by the Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd.), with strong backing from President Bola Tinubu.
Key officials involved in securing their release included the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN); Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar; Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo (SAN); and the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
An NDLEA investigation uncovered that a drug trafficking syndicate operating at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport had maliciously tagged the pilgrims’ luggage with bags containing illicit drugs.
This led to the arrest of a 55-year-old suspected ringleader, Mohammed Abubakar, along with three others: Celestina Yayock, Abdulbasit Sagagi, and Jazuli Kabir, including implicated airline staff.
The NDLEA has filed charges against the suspects in Nigeria as part of ongoing efforts to dismantle the syndicate.
One of the detained pilgrims was released on Sunday, September 14, and the remaining two were freed on Monday, September 15, 2025.
Marwa expressed appreciation to the Saudi authorities for honoring the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the NDLEA and the GDNC, and reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to international cooperation in the fight against drug trafficking.
