The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a suspected drug kingpin and five members of his syndicate accused of planting narcotics on innocent pilgrims travelling through the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), leading to the detention of three Nigerians in Saudi Arabia.
The NDLEA said the syndicate, led by a 55-year-old man it identified as Mohammed Abubakar alias Bello Karama, was responsible for smuggling illicit substances aboard Ethiopian Airlines flight ET940, which departed Kano on August 6 for Jeddah via Addis Ababa.
Those implicated by the syndicate included a 39-year-old mother of five, Maryam Hussaini; Mrs. Abdullahi Aminu, and Abdulhamid Saddiq, all of whom are still being held by Saudi authorities on the allegation of drug trafficking.
NDLEA’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, on Monday said investigations revealed that the three pilgrims each checked in only one personal bag.
He said that members of the syndicate — in collusion with Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCOL) staff — tagged six additional bags in the passengers’ names, three of which contained drugs.
“The bags containing narcotics were secretly tagged against the complainants’ names without their knowledge or consent,” Babafemi told journalists in Abuja.
He said that Karama travelled separately on Egypt Air, while his accomplices checked in the drug-laden luggage on Ethiopian Airlines.
Other suspects identified by the spokesman were Abdulbasit Adamu, Murtala Olalekan, Celestina Yayock, and Jazuli Kabir, who he said had confessed to their roles, with evidence of payments traced to them.
The NDLEA Chairman, Brig Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), is expected to meet officials of Saudi Arabia’s General Directorate of Narcotics Control (GDNC) during an upcoming international drug conference to present Nigeria’s findings and push for the release of the detainees.
“The evidence clearly shows that these three Nigerians are victims of a criminal conspiracy, not traffickers. We will pursue this matter until justice is done,” Babafemi said.
The development has sparked fresh concerns over airport security and baggage handling in Nigeria, with authorities promising tighter checks at the Kano airport to prevent similar incidents.
Meanwhile, families of the detained pilgrims have called on the Federal Government to intensify diplomatic efforts to secure their release.
“She went to Saudi Arabia to worship God. Instead, she is in prison for a crime others committed. Now that the truth is out, Nigeria must bring her back,” said Maryam’s husband, Abdullahi Baffa.
