The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a suspected drug kingpin and five members of a syndicate linked to the wrongful detention of three Nigerian pilgrims in Saudi Arabia.
The 55-year-old suspect, Mohammed Ali Abubakar, also known as Bello Karama, and five accomplices were arrested following investigations that traced a drug trafficking operation to the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) in Kano.
NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi, told journalists n Abuja, that the syndicate was responsible for smuggling drug-filled luggage under the names of three Nigerian pilgrims: Mrs. Maryam Hussain Abdullahi, Mrs. Abdullahi Bahijja Aminu, and Mr. Abdulhamid Saddiq.
The three had traveled to Saudi Arabia for lesser hajj and were arrested upon arrival in Jeddah after six extra bags, three of which contained illicit substances, were linked to their flight records.
Investigations revealed that the pilgrims, who departed Kano on August 6 on Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET940, had no knowledge of the additional bags. Their own luggage either arrived late or was misplaced.
Meanwhile, the suspect, Ali Abubakar, traveled to Jeddah the same day using Egypt Air, avoiding direct association with the tampered flight.
The NDLEA says members of the criminal network, including airline and ground handling staff, conspired to tag the bags containing drugs to the pilgrims without their knowledge.
Some of the suspects confessed to receiving payments of N100,000 to smuggle the luggage.
Four suspects have already been charged to court, including Ali Abubakar, Abdulbasit Adamu, Murtala Akande Olalekan, and Celestina Emmanuel Yayock. Investigations also confirmed bank transfers made between the suspects as payment for the operation.
