Saudi authorities free Nigerian undergraduate Zainab Aliyu wrongly accused of drug offence

Posted by News Express | 30 April 2019 | 1,375 times

•Zainab Aliyu

Saudi Arabian authorities have released Zainab Aliyu, a student of Maitama Sule University, Kano, who was arrested for alleged drug trafficking.

Also released was Ibrahim Abubakar. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Zainab was arrested since Dec. 25, 2018.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, disclosed this at a news conference in Abuja on Tuesday.

He said the government has been able to establish the innocence of Zainab and the second Nigerian involved in the case, Ibrahim Abubakar.

Both accused, he said, would be released tomorrow to the Nigerian Mission in Saudi Arabia.

There had been several calls for their release with President Muhammadu Buhari directing the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, to swiftly intervene and secure her immediate release.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Diaspora Affairs Abike Dabiri-Erewa had assured Nigerians that they were making good progress and she will be back, along with 2 others in the same situation.

Zainab was arrested after a banned drug, Tramadol, was found in her bag, but claimed it was planted in her luggage by unknown persons.

The student had reportedly travelled from Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport in company with her mother, Mrs. Maryam Aliyu, and sister, Hajara Aliyu.

Zainab, who was accused of entering Saudi Arabia with an illegal dosage of Tramadol.

Reports indicate that she was a victim of a cartel that specialised in keeping hard drugs in travellers’ bags, some of whom were already in the custody of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency. (NAN)

Source: News Express