THREE Nigerian pilgrims who were arrested and detained in Saudi Arabia for alleged drug trafficking have been freed, bringing relief to their families and sparking renewed calls for tighter airport security in Nigeria.
News Point Nigeria reports that the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) announced their release at a press conference on Wednesday, confirming that the pilgrims; Mrs. Maryam Hussain Abdullahi, Mrs. Abdullahi Bahijja Aminu, and Abdulhamid Saddieq had been cleared after spending four weeks in Saudi detention.
NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said their release was the outcome of weeks of high-level engagements between NDLEA, the Federal Government, and Saudi Arabia’s General Directorate of Narcotics Control (GDNC).
“Armed with the outcome of our investigation, charges filed against members of the syndicate, and evidence proving the innocence of the three pilgrims, NDLEA Chairman Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd.) engaged Saudi authorities at multiple levels,” Babafemi explained.
“One of the pilgrims was released on September 14, and the remaining two were freed on September 15, 2025. They will soon return home to their families.”
Babafemi advised Nigerians to always ensure their luggage is properly tagged and verified at airports, warning that traffickers often exploit gaps in airport security to frame unsuspecting travellers.
The case dates back to August 6, 2025, when the three pilgrims travelled through Malam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) aboard Ethiopian Airlines flight ET940 to Jeddah via Addis Ababa.
According to NDLEA investigations, a drug syndicate led by 55-year-old Mohammed Abubakar a.k.a. Bello Karama in collusion with staff of Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCOL), planted six additional bags, three of which contained illicit drugs, and fraudulently tagged them with the pilgrims’ names.
“The bags containing narcotics were secretly tagged against the complainants’ names without their knowledge or consent,” Babafemi said.
Karama, who reportedly travelled separately on Egypt Air, was later arrested along with five accomplices: Abdulbasit Adamu, Murtala Olalekan, Celestina Yayock, and Jazuli Kabir, all of whom confessed to their roles in the smuggling attempt.
NDLEA Chairman Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for backing the agency’s diplomatic efforts, describing the President’s intervention as a key factor in securing the pilgrims’ release.
“The biggest support of our effort came from President Tinubu, who is committed to ensuring that no Nigerian is unjustly punished anywhere in the world,” Marwa said.
He also commended the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN); the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar; the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo (SAN); and the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, for their collaboration throughout the process.
The incident has renewed concerns over security lapses at Nigerian airports. Aviation authorities have promised tighter screening and improved monitoring of ground handling staff to prevent recurrence.
Babafemi stressed that the agency will intensify its oversight to ensure “no innocent Nigerian ever suffers this kind of ordeal again.”
The release of the pilgrims has been widely celebrated on social media, with many Nigerians calling for stronger airport surveillance and severe punishment for those involved in framing innocent travellers.
The three pilgrims are expected to arrive back in Nigeria later this week, where they will be formally received by NDLEA officials before reuniting with their families.