BREAKING: Saudi Arabia Frees Three Innocent Nigerian Pilgrims Wrongly Jailed for Drug Trafficking After Tinubu, Marwa’s Intervention

In a major diplomatic victory, Saudi Arabian authorities have released three Nigerian pilgrims who were wrongfully detained in Jeddah over alleged drug trafficking.

The trio — Mrs. Maryam Hussain Abdullahi, Mrs. Abdullahi Bahijja Aminu, and Mr. Abdulhamid Saddieq — had been held for four harrowing weeks after arriving for the lesser hajj in August, only to be falsely implicated in a drug case orchestrated by a powerful syndicate operating out of Kano.

Their freedom followed weeks of tireless negotiations spearheaded by the Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd.), who engaged Saudi Arabia’s General Directorate of Narcotics Control (GDNC) at the highest levels.

Marwa’s efforts were strongly backed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, with crucial support from the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN); the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Tuggar; the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo (SAN); and the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.

How the Pilgrims Were Framed

Investigations revealed that a syndicate at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) maliciously tagged bags of illicit drugs with the names of the unsuspecting pilgrims who had boarded Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET940 from Kano to Jeddah on August 6, 2025.

The NDLEA’s probe, launched after desperate pleas from the victims’ families, led to the arrest of the syndicate’s kingpin, 55-year-old Mohammed Ali Abubakar, alias Bello Karama, along with three accomplices — Celestina Emmanuel Yayock, Abdulbasit Adamu Sagagi, and Jazuli Kabir.

Charges have since been filed against the criminals, including corrupt airline officials who facilitated the smuggling attempt that nearly ruined the pilgrims’ lives.

Diplomacy and Justice Prevail

Armed with evidence and formal charges against the syndicate, Marwa personally engaged his Saudi counterpart in line with President Tinubu’s directive that “no Nigerian must suffer unjustly on foreign soil.”

The breakthrough came last weekend: one of the pilgrims was released on September 14, while the remaining two regained their freedom on September 15, 2025.

Nigeria Speaks, the World Listens

Speaking on the development, Marwa praised the Saudi GDNC for honoring the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on narcotics control between both nations.

> “The biggest support of our effort came from President Tinubu, who is committed to ensuring every Nigerian is respected and protected anywhere in the world. This case proves that no Nigerian will be unjustly punished for crimes they did not commit,” Marwa declared.

He also applauded the unwavering collaboration of top government officials who stood firm until the pilgrims were vindicated.

The release has sparked relief and jubilation among families and well-wishers back home, marking it as not only a triumph of diplomacy but also a bold warning to criminal networks exploiting innocent Nigerians for drug trafficking.