NDLEA has secured the release of three Nigerians unjustly detained in Saudi Arabia after exposing a Kano-based drug syndicate that framed them.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has secured the release of three Nigerians wrongfully detained in Saudi Arabia on drug trafficking allegations.
The detainees — Mrs. Maryam Hussain Abdullahi, Mrs. Abdullahi Bahijja Aminu, and Mr. Abdulhamid Saddieq — were arrested on August 6, 2025, in Jeddah after arriving from Kano, when bags containing illicit drugs were falsely tagged with their names. They spent four weeks in detention.
Following complaints from their families, the NDLEA investigated and uncovered a drug syndicate at Malam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), leading to the arrest of ringleader Mohammed Ali Akubakar and three accomplices. Complicit airline officials are also facing charges.
Armed with evidence proving the trio’s innocence, NDLEA Chairman Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.) engaged Saudi authorities, resulting in their release between September 14 and 15.
Marwa thanked Saudi counterparts and Nigerian officials for their support, stressing: “Nigeria will never abandon its citizens, especially when the facts clearly show they are victims of criminal conspiracies.”