The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, has announced the hiring of lawyers in Saudi Arabia to facilitate release of a Nigerian lady, Maryam Aliyu, falsely accused of drug trafficking.
NAHCON’s move is to complement efforts of the Nigerian mission in the Kingdom, just as President Muhammadu Buhari directed the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, to intervene in the case.
The commission in a statement by its spokesperson, Fatima Usara, said that the busting of a cartel planting drugs in pilgrims’ luggage raises for Miss Aliyu’s freedom.
The NAHCON spokesperson assured that the agency will continue to work with NDLEA to ensure a drug-incident-free Umrah season and Hajj 2019 period.
“In collaboration with sister agencies, NAHCON will deploy the necessary staff and technology at Hajj departure centers nationwide to ensure security of pilgrims and their luggage against abuse and drug peddling in any guise,” she said.
Zainab Aliyu, a student of Yusuf Maitama Sule University, Kano, who travelled for Lesser Hajj in December 2018, was detained by the Saudi authorities for alleged possession of illicit drugs, which could earn her death sentence according to the law of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Habib Aliyu, the father of the alleged drug courier, Zainab, had appealed to the Federal Government to intervene in her daughter’s case and save the ‘innocent’ lady from being executed wrongly, Daily Nigerian reports.
Mr Aliyu also called on the Saudi authorities and the international community as well as well-meaning individuals to intervene.
He expressed displeasure over his daughter’s arrest and detention in a Saudi prison in spite of the recent discovery that she was framed by some drug cartel.
He had explained that the allegations of Zainab entering the country with Tramadol was absolute falsehood as recent events and arrests had confirmed the girl’s innocence.
Miss Aliyu had travelled from Malam Aminu Kano International Airport in company of her mother, Maryam Aliyu, and sister Hajara Aliyu.
She was later arrested over allegations that a luggage, bearing her name tag, contained the unlawful substance.
Miss Aliyu who was accused of entering Saudi Arabia with an illegal dose of Tramadol was later discovered to be a victim of a cartel that specialized in keeping hard drugs in travellers’ bags.
According to the statement some members of the drug cartel are already in the custody of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.
