After spending 10 months in detention, three Nigerian women were released and acquitted of drug trafficking charges in Saudi Arabia, thanks to intense diplomatic efforts by Nigerian authorities.
Hadiza Abba, Fatima Umate Malah and Fatima Kannai Gamboi were initially arrested after being linked to two other Nigerian nationals who had in their possession a substantial quantity of cocaine – 80 capsules weighing 900.28 grams and 70 capsules weighing 789.5 grams. The women were accused of complicity in the trafficking of these banned substances.
The Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on January 5, 2025 that their release had been obtained thanks to “ prolonged diplomatic and legal negotiations “. The three women were handed over to the Nigerian Consulate General in Jeddah, where they were received by Ambassador Muazam Nayaya, the Honorable Consul General.
The women are currently waiting for immigration procedures to be finalized to return to Nigeria and reunite with their families. This resolution represents a major diplomatic achievement given Saudi Arabia’s usually strict stance on drug crimes.
-Acting spokesperson Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa issued the statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja, marking the successful conclusion of a matter that had attracted considerable attention in both countries.
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