Saudi Arabian authorities have released Zainab Aliyu and Ibrahim Abubakar, Nigerians arrested for alleged drug trafficking, Foreign Affairs Ministry confirmed.
Prompt News Online recalls that President Muhammadu Buhari had directed the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami, to intervene in the case of Zainab detained by Saudi Arabia authorities.
Zainab Aliyu, a student of Maitama Sule University, Kano, who travelled for Lesser Hajj in Dec. 2018 was detained by the Saudi Arabia authorities for allegedly being in possession of a banned substance, Tramadol.
Presidential Aide on Diaspora Matters, Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa, had said “Zainab, although detained, had not been put on trial by the Saudi Arabia government.
“And with the hard evidence that those who implicated her have been arrested, a strong legal case is being made to the Saudi authorities,” she said.
Mr Habib Aliyu, the father of the alleged drug courier, Zainab, had appealed to the Federal Government to intervene in her daughter’s case and save the ‘innocent’ lady from being executed wrongly.
Zainab, had travelled from Malam Aminu Kano International Airport in company of her mother, Mrs Maryam Aliyu, and sister Hajara Aliyu.
She was later arrested over allegations that a luggage, bearing her name tag, contained the unlawful substance.
Zainab who was accused of entering Saudi Arabia with an illegal dose of Tramadol was later discovered to be a victim of a cartel that specialised in keeping hard drugs in travellers’ bags.
Amnesty International and many Nigerians on Monday night campaigned for Zainab’s release.
