Saudi Arabia authorities have released three Nigerian pilgrims who were detained in Jeddah, since last month following their arrest over alleged drug trafficking.
Director, Media and Advocacy, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Headquarters, Abuja, Femi Babafemi, broke the news at a press conference yesterday.
The three, who were in custody for weeks, include Mrs. Maryam Hussain Abdullahi; Mrs. Abdullahi Bahijja Aminu; and Mr. Abdulhamid Saddieq.
Babafemi said their freedom came following weeks of engagements by the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, NDLEA, Brig.-Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), with the leadership of the General Directorate of Narcotics Control (GDNC) in Saudi Arabia.
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This, he said, was with the support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and assistance of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN); Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, and Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo (SAN), as well as the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.
Babafemi said a syndicate at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) Kano had tagged bags containing illicit drugs with the names of the three unsuspecting Nigerians who travelled on an Ethiopian Airline flight ET940, which departed Kano on August 6, this year to Jeddah on lesser hajj.