Juliet Jacob 
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar
ABUJA, Nigeria – The Federal Government has praised Saudi Arabian authorities for clearing three Nigerians wrongly implicated in a drug trafficking scheme at King Abdulaziz International Airport, Jeddah, following a months-long investigation that confirmed their innocence.
In a statement on Wednesday, Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Tuggar said the three travellers — Abdulhamid Sadieq, Maryam Abdullahi and Bahijah Abdullahi — were victims of a criminal cartel operating at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, which secretly inserted prohibited drugs into luggage linked to their tickets.
“Through sustained diplomatic engagement by our Consulate in Jeddah and close collaboration with the NDLEA, the innocent nature of our citizens was established,” Tuggar said. He noted that Nigerian officials offered legal support and undertook repeated prison visits as Saudi investigators assessed the case.
The Saudi authorities eventually exonerated the travellers, approving their release on 14 and 15 September 2025. Maryam and Bahijah Abdullahi returned to Nigeria on 5 November 2025, while the travel ban placed on Abdulhamid Sadieq was lifted on 2 December 2025, with his repatriation now being arranged.
The Minister commended the professionalism and transparency shown by the Saudi government, saying the case reflects “Nigeria’s unwavering commitment, under President Bola Tinubu’s 4D Diplomacy Doctrine, to protect its citizens wherever they may be.”
He warned, however, that the incident underscores an expanding criminal trend in which airport syndicates prey on unsuspecting passengers, using them as drug couriers without their knowledge. Security agencies are continuing investigations at Nigerian airports.
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