Three Nigerians wrongly accused of drug trafficking in Saudi Arabia are on their way home after the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) dismantled a trafficking syndicate that planted narcotics in their luggage at Malam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA).
The detainees—Maryam Hussain Abdullahi, Abdullahi Bahijja Aminu, and Abdulhamid Saddieq—were arrested in Jeddah on August 6, 2025, upon arrival from Kano on an Ethiopian Airlines flight. They spent four anxious weeks in custody when baggage tagged in their names was found to contain illicit drugs.
Outraged families alerted Nigerian authorities, prompting a high-level NDLEA investigation. The probe exposed a sophisticated ring allegedly led by Mohammed Ali Akubakar (alias Bello Karama), with members Celestina Emmanuel Yayock, Abdulbasit Adamu Sagagi, and Jazuli Kabir, and implicated several airline staff now facing prosecution.
NDLEA Chairman Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.), armed with documentary evidence, opened direct channels with Saudi Arabia’s General Directorate of Narcotics Control (GDNC) under an existing bilateral MoU. The diplomatic effort—backed by President Bola Tinubu’s administration, Attorney General Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar, Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo (SAN), and National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu—secured the detainees’ release.
One of the Nigerians was freed on September 14, while the other two regained their freedom on September 15. All three are expected to reunite with their families in Nigeria this week.
“Nigeria will never abandon its citizens—especially when the facts show they are victims of criminal conspiracies,” Marwa said, praising Saudi authorities for their cooperation.
The case has sparked fresh scrutiny of airport security operations and renewed calls for tighter controls to prevent trafficking networks from exploiting innocent travelers. Analysts say the swift resolution signals a more assertive Nigerian foreign policy and a stronger domestic crackdown on drug crime.