Three Nigerian female pilgrims have been arrested by the Saudi Arabian authorities for alleged trafficking in substances suspected to be cocaine.
The suspects, identified as Binta Nasidi, Zulaihat Ahmed Adam, and Rashida Abdullahi, all Kano residents, were apprehended following the completion of this year’s Hajj operations activities.
According to a statement published on Friday by the Kano State Police Command’s spokesman, Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, the mothers were led into the alleged crime by one Sharifat Abdullahi, 55, of Kureken Sani Quarters Kumbotso Area of the state.
Shedding light into the crime, the police said they received a complaint from one Auwal Ishaq of Kawo Quarters and Idris Sani Suleiman of Medile Quarters.
“The complainants reported that they were contacted in June by Sharifat to allow their wives travel through international routes via Lagos Airport Terminal” the statement held.
“At the initial complaint, Auwal Ishaq claimed that he paid the sum of N6,000,000: for his two wives- Binta Nasidi and Zulaihat Ahmed Adam while Idris Sani Suleiman claimed to have paid N3,000,000 for his one wife Rashida Abdullahi to travel together to perform pilgrimage rites with the arrangement that they will convey some undisclosed substance from their link at Lagos Airport and to deliver the substance to someone at the airport in Saudi Arabia” the statement held.
“The complainants reported that since their wives departed from Nigeria, they had lost contact with them and all efforts to reach them proved abortive” , the police said.
According to the police, Auwal however came back to report that he received a call from one of his two wives that they were all arrested by the Saudi Arabian authorities for offences of trafficking in a substance suspected to be cocaine.
Following the complaints, the police commenced investigation and picked up the principal suspect; Sharifat Abdullahi, who upon interrogation confessed that the complainants were part of the arrangement.
According to her, the complainants were fully aware that their wives would be used as couriers of the said undisclosed contents to be delivered to a lady at the Airport in Saudi Arabia.
She further confessed that, “The two wives of Auwal were also promised N1,000,000 each when they returned back, after the successful delivery, while Idris Sani who had claimed to be Rashidat’s husband was also promised N150,000 for playing the role of a middleman
The principal suspect also confessed to have conspired with the said Idris Sani Suleiman in the recruitment of people in the state to engage in human/drug trafficking businesses, the police disclosed.
The police added that following the investigation, they have arrested the two initial complainants while adding that the case has been transferred to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for the completion of the investigation.
In the meantime, the police have warned residents of the state to be wary of offers of loose monies and travelling documentsimploring them to always contact the appropriate authorities for enquiries to avoid falling victims of high crimes in foreign countries such as trafficking in illicit drugs or related activities that have life-threatening consequences.