Freedom at Last: Saudi Arabia Releases 3 Nigerian Pilgrims Cleared of Drug Charges
Abuja — Relief and jubilation greeted families of three Nigerian pilgrims on Tuesday after Saudi Arabian authorities released them from detention in Jeddah, where they had been held for four weeks over false drug trafficking allegations.
The freed pilgrims — Mrs. Maryam Hussain Abdullahi, Mrs. Abdullahi Bahijja Aminu, and Mr. Abdulhamid Saddieq — had been arrested in August after arriving for lesser hajj on Ethiopian Airlines flight ET940 from Kano. Their ordeal began when a drug syndicate operating at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) allegedly tagged bags containing illicit substances with their names, leading to their arrest by Saudi narcotics officials.
At a press conference in Abuja, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) confirmed their release, crediting the outcome to weeks of intense diplomatic engagement led by NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd), with the General Directorate of Narcotics Control (GDNC) in Saudi Arabia, and the full backing of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“The biggest support for our effort came from President Tinubu, who is committed to ensuring that no Nigerian suffers unjustly in a foreign land,” NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi told journalists.
Investigations in Nigeria revealed that a 55-year-old drug baron, Mohammed Ali Abubakar (alias Bello Karama), alongside three accomplices including airline officials, orchestrated the smuggling plot. Their arrest and the evidence gathered by the NDLEA helped prove the innocence of the detained pilgrims.
One of the pilgrims was released on Sunday, September 14, while the remaining two regained their freedom on Monday, September 15, 2025.
The NDLEA praised its Saudi counterpart for honoring the Memorandum of Understanding on anti-drug collaboration between both countries. The agency also acknowledged the roles played by the Attorney General of the Federation, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN); Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Tuggar; Minister of Aviation, Mr. Festus Keyamo (SAN); and the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.
The release marks a significant diplomatic win for Nigeria and relief for the affected families, who endured weeks of uncertainty while their loved ones were wrongfully detained.
