Raphael Oni
In a significant diplomatic achievement, three Nigerian nationals, Hadiza Abba, Fatima Umate Malah, and Fatima Kannai Gamboi, have been discharged and acquitted of drug trafficking charges in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The women were arrested on March 5, 2024, at Prince Mohammad bin Abdul Azeez International Airport in Madinah, Saudi Arabia, and had spent 10 months in detention.
The arrest was a result of the earlier detention of two Nigerian nationals who were found with 80 capsules of cocaine weighing 900.28 gm and 70 capsules of cocaine weighing 789.5 gm, respectively. The Saudi authorities had suspected the women of being accomplices and abetting the trafficking of the banned substance.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs had been actively engaged in diplomatic efforts to secure the release of the trio. After prolonged negotiations, the Saudi authorities finally discharged and acquitted the women, and handed them over to the Consulate-General of Nigeria in Jeddah.
Ambassador Muazam Nayaya, the Honourable Consul-General of Nigeria in Jeddah, received the ladies and ensured their safety. They are currently awaiting immigration processes to return to Nigeria and reunite with their families.
The successful release of the trio is a testament to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ commitment to protecting the rights and interests of Nigerian citizens abroad. The Ministry’s diplomatic efforts have once again yielded positive results, and the families of the acquitted women can now look forward to being reunited with their loved ones.
