The Nigerian government has secured the release of three Nigerian women arrested over drug trafficking on the 5th of March 2024 at Prince Mohammad bin Abdul Azeez International Airport Madinah, Saudi Arabia.
The women, Hadiza Abba, Fatima Umate Malah, and Fatima Kannai Gamboi were set free after 10 months in detention.
This is contained in a statement signed by acting spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, and made available to AIT on Sunday.
According to the statement, the arrest of the three women was as a result of the earlier arrest of two Nigerian nationals found in possession of 150 capsules of cocaine weighing 1689.33 grammes.
The three women were detained by the Saudi authorities on suspicion of being accomplices in the trafficking of the banned substance found on the aforementioned arrested Nigerians.
The statement added that the successful release was achieved after a prolonged diplomatic and legal engagements, which culminated in their discharge and acquittal and subsequent handover to the Consulate-General of Nigeria in Jedda.
(Editor: Okechukwu Eze)
