The Kano State Police Command has arrested three suspects for allegedly facilitating cocaine trafficking into Saudi Arabia.
Spokesperson of the command, SP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, who disclosed this in a statement on Thursday, August 10, 2023, said the state Commissioner of Police, CP Mohammed Usaini Gumel, has cautioned residents to be wary of accepting loose money and travel visa offers to avoid falling victims of high-risks crimes in foreign countries.
According to the PPRO, two of the suspects, Auwal Ishaq and Idris Sani Suleiman, initially made a complaint to the police, alleging that their wives were arrested in Saudi Arabia for cocaine trafficking after completion of the year’s Hajj.
However, the principal suspect, Hajiya Sharifat Abdullahi, revealed that the two men were part of the arrangement and are aware that their wives will be used as couriers of the drugs to be delivered to a lady in Saudi Arabia.
“On 11/07/2023 at about 1200hrs, one Auwal Ishaq, ’m’, of Kawo Quarters and Idris Sani Suleiman, ’m’, of Medile Quarters, Kano jointly reported to police that they were contacted in June 2023 by one Hajiya Sharifat Abdullahi, ’f’, of Kuregen Sani Hotoro, Kano to allow their wives to travel through international routes via Lagos Airport Terminal,” the statement read.
“At the initial complaint, Auwal Ishaq claimed that he paid the sum of six million naira (N6,000,000:00) for his two wives; Binta Nasidi and Zulaihat Ahmed Adam while Idris Sani Suleiman also claimed to have paid three million naira (N3,000,000:00) for his one wife Rashida Abdullahi on agreement for travelling together to perform Pilgrimage rites with the arrangement that they will convey some undisclosed substance from their link at Lagos Airport and to deliver the substance to someone at the airport in Saudi Arabia
‘The both complainants raised their concerns to the police where they stated that since their departure from Nigeria have lost contact with them and all efforts to reach them proved abortive
“On 11/07/2023 however, Auwal came back to police with disturbing information he received through a phone call from one out of two of his wives that after the completion of the year’s Hajj Operational activities that they were all arrested by the Saudi Arabian Authority for offences of trafficking in substance suspected to be Cocaine
“Police Investigation by the Command led to the arrest of the Principal suspect; Hajiya Sharifat Abdullahi, ‘f’, 55 years old, also a resident of Kureken Sani Quarters Kumbotso LGA Kano State who let confessed that the complainants; Auwal Ishaq and Idris Sani Suleiman were part of the arrangement and are aware that their wives will be used as couriers of the said undisclosed contents to be delivered to a lady at the Airport in Saudi Arabia
“The two wives of Auwal were promised one million naira (N1,000,000:00) each when they are back after successful delivery, while Idris Sani was promised one Hundred and fifty thousand Naira (150,000:00) payment to him for playing a middleman role who already lied and in a deceitful manner claimed to be the husband of Rashidat Abdullahi
“Sharifat also confessed to having conspired with the said Idris Sani Suleiman in the recruitment of people for the the said Kano base cartel of human/drug trafficking businesses. Consequently, the two initial Complainants were turned to accused persons and were both arrested.
“Meanwhile, the state police command has transferred the case to the state office of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for the completion of the investigation
“It’s on this note that the Commissioner of Police, Kano State Command, CP Mohammed Usaini Gumel, FIPMA, psc is cautioning Kano State residents to be wary of loose monies and travelling documents offers.
“He further advised all residents to always contact appropriate authorities for enquiries to avoid falling victims of high Crimes in foreign countries such as trafficking, especially in illicit drugs or related activities that are always with life-threatening consequences.”
