Drug trafficking: NDLEA secures release of Nigerian held by Saudi Arabia for three years

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has secured the freedom of one Ibrahim Abubakar, a Nigerian held in Saudi Arabia for alleged drug trafficking.

Ibrahim was released after three years of incarceration in the Middle Eastern country following presentations from investigation reports by NDLEA that exonerated him.

Abubakar was arrested upon arrival in Saudi Arabia when his luggage was found to contain 1, 497 tablets of illicit tramadol.

He has been standing trial since 2017 in Saudi Arabia where punishment for drug trafficking is execution.


The Agency said they presented evidence that proved that the drugs were planted on Ibrahim and he was innocent of the crime he was accused of. Three persons have been arrested for planting the drugs on Ibrahim.

There were contained in a statement by the Principal Staff Officer, Public Affairs, of the Agency, Jonah Achema, made available to The Nation in Abuja on Wednesday.

The statement read in part, “Efforts by National Drug Law Enforcement Agency to secure freedom for Ibrahim Ibrahim Abubakar, a Nigerian held by Saudi Arabia for Drug Trafficking has finally paid off. Abubakar has been released after three years of incarceration in Saudi following presentations from investigation reports by NDLEA that exonerated him.

“A delegation from Nigeria in Diaspora Commission, NIDCOM, and Zamfara State Government, the home state of Abubakar, arrived in Jeddah with documentary evidence provided by NDLEA for the trial slated for 18th February 2020.

“The documentary evidence included a correspondent from NDLEA stating that it had arrested and charged three persons who planted the Tramadol tablets on the defendant and a certified copy of the two counts charge sheet from the Federal High Court Kano. These documents were provided to the Saudi Court after which it ruled in favour of Ibrahim and discharged him.

“On December 15, 2017, a letter of complaint was written by Malam Gwani Sadiq Siddiq from Zamfara seeking NDLEA to intervene on the arrest of Abubakar by the Saudi Anti-narcotic officials. The Agency swung into investigation, which revealed that Abubakar travelled to Saudi on March 10, 2017 through Malam Aminu Kano International Airport and was arrested by the Saudi Anti-narcotic officials at Medina Airport for importing 1, 497 tablets of Tramadol. The substance was allegedly concealed in a bag and tagged to his passport at MAKIA by his travel agent named Mahmood Sani and two other handlers at the Airport, one Mrs. Celina Yaycock and Mr. Anthony Johnson.

“These suspects have since been charged to Federal High Court, Kano.”