The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a notorious drug kingpin, Mohammed Ali Abubakar, also known as Bello Karama, and five members of his syndicate operating at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano, after uncovering their role in framing three innocent Nigerians who are currently detained in Saudi Arabia for alleged drug trafficking.
The development was made public on Monday, 25th August 2025, at the NDLEA headquarters in Abuja during a press conference addressed by the Agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, alongside the Director of Assets and Financial Investigation, Dr. Abdul Ibrahim, and the Director of Prosecution and Legal Services, Theresa Asuquo.
Babafemi explained that the agency launched an investigation after receiving petitions from the families of three Nigerians — Mrs. Maryam Hussain Abdullahi, Mrs. Abdullahi Bahijja Aminu, and Mr. Abdulhamid Saddiq who were arrested in Jeddah following their lesser hajj pilgrimage. The trio, who flew on Ethiopian Airlines flight ET940 from Kano on 6th August 2025, were accused after six extra bags, three of which contained drugs, were secretly tagged to their names without their knowledge.
“Evidence gathered shows the illicit bags were checked in by members of a criminal syndicate at MAKIA, working with insiders from the Skyway Aviation Handling Company. These bags were traced to the syndicate leader, Ali Abubakar Mohammed, who travelled to Jeddah aboard Egypt Air after planting the bags on Ethiopian Airlines,” Babafemi said.
According to NDLEA, six members of the syndicate are in custody, with four including Bello Karama, Abdulbasit Adamu, Murtala Akande Olalekan, and Celestina Emmanuel Yayock already charged to court. Confessions revealed they were paid between N100,000 and N200,000 to tag the illicit luggage in the pilgrims’ names.
To secure the release of the detained Nigerians, NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), is engaging with Saudi Arabia’s General Directorate of Narcotics Control (GDNC). He is scheduled to meet Saudi officials during an international drug conference to present Nigeria’s findings and press for the exoneration of the victims.
“The Agency will never allow innocent citizens to suffer for crimes they know nothing about,” Babafemi assured, while commending the Ministry of Aviation, FAAN, AVSEC, and the DSS for supporting interim security measures at MAKIA to prevent future occurrences.
