The Federal Government has secured the release and full lifting of travel restrictions on three Nigerians earlier detained in Saudi Arabia over alleged drug-related offences, following a collaborative investigation that established their innocence.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja, confirmed that Mr. Abdulhamid Sadieq, Mrs. Maryam Hussein Abdullahi, and Mrs. Bahijah Aminu Abdullahi arrested in August 2025 at the King Abdul Aziz International Airport, Jeddah had been exonerated and freed by Saudi authorities.
According to the ministry, the trio was wrongfully implicated after criminal syndicates at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) fraudulently attached prohibited substances to their travel luggage without their knowledge.
Upon receiving reports of the arrests, Nigeria’s Consul General in Jeddah, Ambassador Muazam I. J. Nayaya, engaged Saudi officials, escalated the matter to Abuja, and sought the involvement of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to support investigations. The Consulate also ensured continuous engagement with Saudi authorities, conducted regular prison visits, and provided legal representation for the detainees.
The Saudi government, after what the ministry described as “thorough investigations,” cleared the three Nigerians of any wrongdoing, releasing them on 14 and 15 September 2025. Although a temporary travel restriction was imposed pending the conclusion of additional security checks, the embargo has now been fully lifted.
Two of the exonerated citizens Mrs. Maryam Hussein Abdullahi and Mrs. Bahijah Aminu Abdullahi returned to Nigeria on 5 November 2025. The travel ban on Mr. Abdulhamid Sadieq was lifted on 2 December 2025, and arrangements for his return are currently underway.
The ministry praised the “cooperation and professionalism” of Saudi authorities, while also acknowledging the contributions of the NDLEA and Nigeria’s Mission in Jeddah in securing what it called a “just and timely outcome.”
It added that the development reflected Nigeria’s commitment to safeguarding its citizens abroad in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 4D Foreign Policy Doctrine.
