NDLEA Arrests Drug Kingpin, Five Others Linked to Innocent Pilgrims Detained in Saudi Arabia
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a notorious drug kingpin, Mohammed Ali Abubakar, alias Bello Karama, and five members of his syndicate at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano, for orchestrating a drug trafficking operation that implicated three innocent Nigerian pilgrims currently detained in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this during a press briefing at the Agency’s headquarters in Abuja on Monday, alongside senior officials of the agency. According to the NDLEA, the syndicate secretly tagged six drug-laden bags to the names of three unsuspecting Nigerians — Mrs. Maryam Hussain Abdullahi, Mrs. Abdullahi Bahijja Aminu, and Mr. Abdulhamid Saddiq — who had travelled for lesser hajj on August 6, 2025. The bags, checked in without their knowledge, later led to their arrest and detention by Saudi authorities.
Investigations traced the operation to Abubakar, who allegedly coordinated the check-in of the illicit bags through accomplices working with Skyway Aviation Handling Company. NDLEA revealed that while the three victims travelled on Ethiopian Airlines, Abubakar flew to Jeddah the same day via Egypt Air after planting the incriminating luggage. Several members of his syndicate, including Abdulbasit Adamu, Murtala Akande Olalekan, Celestina Emmanuel Yayock, and Jazuli Kabir, have confessed to their roles in the operation, with payments traced to the transactions. Four of the suspects are already facing charges in court.
NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), has engaged Saudi authorities to secure the release of the detained pilgrims. He is expected to present Nigeria’s findings to officials of the General Directorate of Narcotics Control (GDNC) at an international drug conference. The Agency also assured that it remains committed to ensuring no innocent Nigerian suffers for crimes committed by drug syndicates.
The NDLEA thanked the Ministry of Aviation, FAAN, AVSEC and the DSS for supporting ongoing investigations and implementing interim measures at Kano airport to prevent a repeat of such incidents.
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