The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has dismantled a criminal network at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano, after uncovering how its members planted illicit substances on unsuspecting Nigerian pilgrims who later faced detention in Saudi Arabia.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on Monday, the Agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, flanked by the Director of Assets and Financial Investigation, Dr Abdul Ibrahim, and the Director of Prosecution and Legal Services, Theresa Asuquo, confirmed that six members of the syndicate, including its ringleader, 55-year-old Mohammed Abubakar, also known as Bello Karama, were in custody. Four of them have already been charged to court.
According to the NDLEA, the arrests followed a petition from three Nigerian families whose relatives were apprehended in Jeddah during their lesser hajj pilgrimage earlier this month.
The detained pilgrims, Mrs Maryam Abdullahi, Mrs Abdullahi Aminu and Mr Abdulhamid Saddiq had travelled aboard Ethiopian Airlines flight ET940 from Kano to Jeddah via Addis Ababa on 6 August.
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Investigations revealed that although each of the pilgrims checked in only their personal luggage, additional bags belonging to the syndicate were fraudulently tagged to their names by corrupt airport handlers.
Three of those bags were later intercepted in Saudi Arabia and found to contain narcotics.
Babafemi explained that the luggage was traced back to Abubakar, who masterminded the operation. While the pilgrims flew with Ethiopian Airlines, Abubakar travelled separately on Egypt Air after ensuring that the illicit bags were planted against the names of the unsuspecting passengers.
Members of staff of the Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCO) were implicated in the scheme, having allegedly received payments to facilitate the fraudulent tagging.
“…the evidence gathered by the Agency in the course of our investigation, it is clear that Mrs. Maryam Abdullahi and two others who are being detained in Saudi are victims of circumstance, implicated by the activities of a criminal syndicate operating at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport,” Babafemi said.
The NDLEA disclosed that some of the arrested suspects had confessed to their roles, admitting they were paid to check in the drug-laden luggage. Bank transfer records showing payments totalling N200,000 were also recovered as part of the evidence.
In light of these findings, the Agency has opened dialogue with the General Directorate of Narcotics Control (GDNC) in Saudi Arabia to secure the release of the innocent pilgrims.
The NDLEA Chairman, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), is expected to meet Saudi counterparts during an international drug conference and has pledged, if necessary, to personally travel to the Kingdom to pursue justice for the detainees.
While commending the Ministry of Aviation, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Aviation Security (AVSEC) and the Department of State Services (DSS) for their cooperation, the NDLEA assured the public that measures have already been introduced at MAKIA to prevent a repeat of such incidents.
The Agency reaffirmed its commitment to combating drug trafficking and substance abuse, stressing that while it will spare no offender in its enforcement duties, it equally has a responsibility to ensure that innocent citizens are not made to suffer unjustly.
