General
Saudi releases Nigerian accused of drug trafficking
AN indigene of Zamfara State, Malam Ibrahim Ibrahim, who was arrested and detained for three years by Saudi Arabian Government, has been released.
Receiving the detainee in Government House on Tuesday, Governor Bello Matawalle commended the Saudi government for keeping its promise.
Matawalle said he was in Saudi Arabia several times to beg the Saudi government to release the victim, who he said, was wrongly arrested for drug trafficking.
Matawalle commended the Federal Government, Saudi Arabian embassy as well as Special Adviser in Diaspora, Abike Dabri, for their efforts in ensuring Ibrahim’s release.
Speaking with newsmen, Ibrahim commended the effort of the governor, who played a key role in his release.
Meanwhile, Ibrahim has been appointed as Senior Special Assistance to Governor Bello Matawalle.
Ibrahim, a Muslim cleric, began his journey to Saudi Arabian prison and eventual freedom when he travelled to Saudi Arabia for lesser Hajj – also known as Umrah – in March 2017.
When he arrived at the King Abdulazeez International Airport in Jeddah he was arrested and charged for drug trafficking, an alleged offence he would spend three years for.
Saudi Arabia has stringent drug trafficking laws. Offenders are sentenced to death and summarily executed. And Ibrahim was tried, found guilty and sentenced to death.
However, President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria through government agencies intervened and a retrial was granted. The trial held on 18 February 2020 with necessary documentary evidences presented and Malam Ibrahim was discharged and freed of the allegation of drugs.
The documentary evidences provided included a written statement by National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) stating that they have arrested and charged three persons who planted the drugs on the defendant and a certified copy of the two counts charge sheet from the Federal High Court Kano.
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