The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has arrested a 55-year-old drug kingpin, Mohammed Ali Abubakar, alias Bello Karama, and five members of his syndicate over the arrest of three Nigerians currently detained in Saudi Arabia for drug trafficking.
The agency said the suspects, who operated at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, MAKIA, Kano, checked in bags containing illicit substances in the names of three unsuspecting pilgrims travelling to Jeddah for lesser hajj on August 6, 2025.
The NDLEA disclosed this on Monday at a press conference in Abuja addressed by its Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, alongside the Director of Assets and Financial Investigation, Dr. Abdul Ibrahim, and the Director of Prosecution and Legal Services, Theresa Asuquo.
The three victims, Mrs. Maryam Hussain Abdullahi, Mrs. Abdullahi Bahijja Aminu, and Mr. Abdulhamid Saddiq, were arrested in Jeddah after arriving on Ethiopian Airline flight ET940.
NDLEA investigations revealed that extra bags containing drugs were tagged to their names without their knowledge by members of the syndicate in collusion with aviation handling staff.
According to Babafemi, Abubakar, who masterminded the operation, travelled to Jeddah the same day on Egypt Air, while his associates checked in seven bags under the names of the victims.
One suspect, Celestina Emmanuel Yayock, admitted checking in two of the bags for a fee of N100,000, while another, Jazuli Kabir, confessed to handling two others for the same amount.
Six suspects are currently in NDLEA custody, with four already charged to court, including Abubakar, Abdulbasit Adamu, Murtala Akande Olalekan, and Yayock.
Babafemi said the agency is engaging with Saudi Arabia’s General Directorate of Narcotics Control to secure the release of the three Nigerians.
He added that NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd.), will meet GDNC officials during an international drug conference and is prepared to travel to Saudi Arabia if necessary.
“The facts clearly show that these Nigerians are victims of criminal conspiracies, and we will not allow them to suffer unjustly,” Babafemi said.
He assured that while NDLEA remains committed to combating drug trafficking, innocent citizens will not be abandoned.
