Zainab Aliyu, a Nigerian held in Saudi Arabia over alleged drug trafficking has been let off the hook by the country’s authorities.
This was made known on Tuesday by the Special Assistant to the President on New Media, Bashir Ahmed.
Her release, it was gathered, followed the establishment of her innocence and that of another Nigerian, Ibrahim Abubakar.
They were arrested in December for allegedly having in her bag a banned drug, Tramadol.
Aliyu is 22 years old and a student of Maitama Sule University in Kano.
She had travelled to Saudi Arabia for lesser hajj alongside her mother and sister when she was arrested.
President Muhammadu Buhari directed the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami, to intervene in the case.
The decision of the president to intervene was made known by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Mrs. Abike Dabiri Erewa.
“President Muhammadu Buhari gave the directive immediately the matter was brought to his attention about two weeks ago.
“My office has been working with the AGF as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in that regard,” she said.
