ABUJA — The Nigerian foreign ministry on Tuesday confirmed the release of an innocent girl, Zainab Aliyu, who was detained for an alleged drug-related offense in Saudi Arabia.

Aliyu, a student of Maitama Sule University in Nigeria’s northwestern state of Kano, had traveled for lesser hajj in December 2018 and was detained by the Saudi authorities over allegations that a piece of luggage bearing her name tag contained an illegal dose of Tramadol, an unlawful substance.

Nigeria’s permanent secretary of foreign affairs, Mustapha Sulaiman, told reporters in Abuja that the government used “all available diplomatic channels to secure her release.” Although detained, she had not been put on trial by the Saudi Arabia government. Aliyu was released to officials of the Nigerian Mission in Saudi.

The girl’s release followed intense diplomatic engagements between the Nigerian government and Saudi Arabia, according to Sulaiman.

The innocence of another Nigerian man named Ibrahim Abubakar, also arrested following a similar allegation, has been proved by the Nigerian government, the official said.

“I am happy to announce to you that in the last couple of minutes Zainab is with our Mission in Saudi and we believe that the other gentleman will be released before tomorrow.

Investigations by the Nigerian authorities revealed that a drug cartel in Nigeria packaged drugs in her luggage, which led to her arrest.

It was discovered that the young lady was a victim of the cartel that specialized in keeping hard drugs in travelers’ bags. The suspects had been arrested and made confessions. The government has vowed to prosecute them.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari had on Monday directed the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, to intervene in the case of the Nigerian student and others detained by Saudi authorities.

The news of Aliyu’s release was heartwarming to many Nigerians who took to social media to express their feelings. Defunke Adewumi, a Nigerian netizen, had earlier expressed displeasure over the girl’s arrest and detention in a Saudi prison in spite of the recent discovery that she was framed by some drug cartel.

“Zainab has been finally released from the Saudi prison. This is a victory for an innocent girl and others who had been wrongly accused and detained elsewhere,” Adewumi wrote on Facebook.

In a statement made available to Xinhua in Abuja, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), decried the unjust imprisonment of innocent Nigerians who have suffered harsh punishment for offenses they have not committed, also gave kudos to the Nigerian government for the role it played in Aliyu’s release.

“It is sad that many innocent Nigerians are suffering for a crime they know nothing about,” said the statement.”This prompt effort by government is commendable and should be sustained for all and in the future because this is what we want to see from our leaders in this country,” it added. – Xinhua

 

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