The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has
arrested a 55-year-old suspected drug kingpin and five members of his syndicate
at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) in connection with the
unjust detention of three Nigerian pilgrims in Saudi Arabia over drug-laden
bags fraudulently tagged to their names.
The NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Mr. Femi
Babafemi, disclosed this at a press briefing on Monday in Abuja. He was joined
by the agency’s Director of Assets and Financial Investigation, Dr. Abdul
Ibrahim, and the Director of Prosecution and Legal Services, Mrs. Theresa
Asuquo.
How the Plot Was Exposed
According to Babafemi, the case came to light after
the families of the detained pilgrims lodged a complaint with NDLEA Chairman,
retired Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa.
The detainees — Mrs. Maryam Abdullahi, Mrs. Abdullahi
Aminu, and Mr. Abdulhamid Saddiq — had embarked on a lesser hajj, traveling
aboard Ethiopian Airlines flight ET940 from Kano to Jeddah via Addis Ababa on
August 6.
Investigations revealed that while the pilgrims
checked in their own personal luggage, six additional bags were illicitly
tagged in their names by members of a criminal network operating within the
airport. Three of those bags were later found to contain narcotics.
“Mrs. Abdullahi had checked in only one 9kg bag which
did not even arrive with her in Jeddah. That bag was delivered 10 days later,
on August 16, a day before her scheduled return, when she was detained. The
same pattern applied to the two other victims,” Babafemi explained.
Inside the Criminal Network
The NDLEA spokesman said the investigation traced the
fraudulent luggage to a syndicate leader who, while ensuring the bags were
checked in under the pilgrims’ names, traveled separately to Jeddah aboard
Egypt Air with three other bags.
He revealed that some staff of Skyway Aviation
Handling Company (SAHCO) were complicit in the scam, as they illegally tagged
the bags.
So far, six suspects have been arrested, with four
already charged to court. The syndicate leader admitted to bringing in seven
bags, while two other suspects confessed to helping check in two of the bags
each, for a fee of ?100,000 each. Receipts showing ?200,000 transfers from the
syndicate leader to the accomplices have also been recovered as evidence.
Moves to Free the Detained Pilgrims
Babafemi noted that NDLEA is in direct contact with
the General Directorate of Narcotics Control (GDNC) in Saudi Arabia to secure
justice for the innocent pilgrims.
“The NDLEA Chairman will attend an international drug
conference where GDNC officials will be present. He intends to present our
findings, and if necessary, travel personally to Saudi Arabia to pursue the
release of the detainees,” he said.
Safeguards Against Future Occurrences
Babafemi assured Nigerians that the agency would not
allow its citizens to suffer unjustly for crimes they did not commit.
He commended the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace
Development, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Aviation
Security (AVSEC), and the Department of State Services (DSS) for their swift
collaboration in introducing interim measures at MAKIA to prevent a recurrence
of such incidents.
“While NDLEA remains committed to tackling drug
trafficking and substance abuse in Nigeria, we are equally determined to ensure
innocent Nigerians are protected from the schemes of criminal networks,”
Babafemi said.
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