FG secures release of another Nigeria arrested in Saudi Arabia

Two days after the release of Maryam Aliyu from prison, the Federal Government on Thursday secured release of another Nigerian, Ibrahim Abubakar, who was accused of drug trafficking in Saudi Arabia.

Last week, President Muhammadu Buhari directed the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, to facilitate the release of the duo as they were innocent of the crime.

The Nigerian government had discovered that Abubakar’s case was the same as Zainab Aliyu’s, a student of Yusuf Maitama Sule University, Kano, who was detained by the Saudi authorities for alleged possession of illicit drugs.

A cartel had placed hard drugs into bags bearing the names of the victims to export the substances to Saudi Arabia.

The cartel was busted by Nigeria’s Drug law enforcement agency, NDLEA, following a petition by Miss Aliyu’s father, Habibu Aliyu.

Subsequently, six suspects were arraigned at the Federal High Court, sitting at court road, Kano State, while one of the suspects was at large.

The accused, Idris Umar Shehu (alias Umar Sanda), Sanni Suleiman, Nuhu Adamu, Rhoda Adetunji, Udosen Itoro Henry and Sanni Hamisu, were arraigned on three-count charges.

However, in a twist of event, the suspects were all granted bail.

The suspects were first arraigned before Justice Lewis Alagoa of the Federal High Court, Kano, and were later released on bail.