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Alleged drug offence:  How we secured release of Aliyu, Abubakar –FG

Ezekiel Johnson
Ezekiel Johnson
Zainab Aliyu freed over wrongful drug-related charges in Saudi back home
Zainab Aliyu

The Federal Government has disclosed how it secured the release of Zainab Aliyu and Ibrahim Abubakar held by Saudi Arabia authorities over alleged drug trafficking.

The two people were released on Wednesday and Thursday respectively by the authorities following intervention by the Federal Government of Nigeria.

They release was secured based on confirmation of their innocence.

In a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the release of the Nigerians resulted from silent diplomatic efforts which took some weeks.

According to the ministry’s acting spokesperson, Friday Akpan, on Thursday in Abuja, Nigerian Consulate in Jeddah intervened in the case upon hearing of the arrest of the two persons.

The Nigerian Mission in Saudi requested that the case be fully probed to determine the innocence of Zainab Aliyu and Ibrahim Abubakar.

The statement reads:  “Zainab Aliyu, a Nigerian student who travelled for Lesser Hajj with her mother was arrested by Saudi Security Officials on December 26, 2018, in a hotel in Madinah.

“She was accused of possessing a bag containing illicit drugs purportedly bearing a tag with her name.

“Another passenger, Ibrahim Abubakar, unrelated to Zainab who also travelled on the same aircraft, was also arrested on the same day…

“Investigations conducted by the Airport Authorities and National Drug Law Enforcement Agency in Kano discovered a drug cartel at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, that specialises in planting illicit drugs on innocent travellers without their knowledge.

“It was also discovered that the bag tagged in Zainab’s name was planted by the cartel without her knowledge.

“Following the arrest of members of the cartel, the Federal Government is currently prosecuting the suspects in the Federal High Court, Kano.

“The outcome of the investigation and subsequent trial of the suspects confirmed the innocence of the two Nigerians.

“The Consulate General of Nigeria in Jeddah, upon instruction from Headquarters, therefore sent series of Diplomatic Notes to the Saudi Foreign Ministry informing of the arrest of members of the syndicate in Kano and forwarding the report of the NDLEA investigation and court proceeding.”

The documents of the investigations carried out were said to be sent to the Nigerian Consulate in Jeddah to further prove their innocence and clear the issue of luggage tag numbers.

The Consulate soon met with the Director General of the Saudi Foreign Ministry, Jeddah.

The DG then requested the official in the consulate to forward the NDLEA report to all concerned Saudi agencies with a view to releasing Zainab Aliyu and Ibrahim Abubakar.

“All these processes followed were consistent with the usual diplomatic channel of engagement.

“To maintain the diplomatic pressure, another Note was sent by our Embassy in Riyadh conveying the same message to the Saudi Authorities.

“On April 26, a Note was also sent to both the Saudi Embassy in Abuja and its Consulate in Kano, forwarding court documents relating to the trial of members of the Kano syndicate.”

 

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