The Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced the acquittal and release of three Nigerian women; Hadiza Abba, Fatima Umate Malah, and Fatima Kannai Gamboi, who had been detained for nearly ten months on drug trafficking charges in Saudi Arabia.
Their release comes after a lengthy legal battle following their arrest on March 5, 2024, at Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah.
The women were initially apprehended under suspicion of abetting drug trafficking after two other Nigerian nationals were arrested with significant quantities of cocaine.
The ministry’s statement, issued by Acting Spokesperson Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, clarified that the women were not directly involved in the possession of the drugs but were instead linked to the earlier arrests.
“The women accused of complicity and abetting the trafficking of the banned substances found on the earlier aforementioned arrested Nigerians were detained by Saudi authorities,” the statement read.
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The case garnered considerable attention in both Saudi Arabia and Nigeria, prompting extensive diplomatic efforts aimed at securing their release.
After prolonged negotiations, the ministry confirmed that the trio had been discharged and acquitted, leading to their handover to the Nigerian consulate in Jeddah.
Upon their release, the women were warmly welcomed by the Consul-General of Nigeria in Jeddah, Ambassador Muazam Nayaya. They are currently undergoing immigration procedures in anticipation of their return to Nigeria, where they will reunite with their families.
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nigeria 🇳🇬 (@NigeriaMFA) January 6, 2025
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