Three Nigerian women arrested in Saudi Arabia on drug-related allegations have been released after 10 months in detention, following sustained diplomatic efforts by the Nigerian government.
The Acting Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, confirmed their release in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja. The women—Hadiza Abba, Fatima Malah, and Fatima Gamboi—were initially arrested on March 5, 2024, at Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah. They were accused of being involved in the trafficking of banned substances while on pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.
Ebienfa explained that their arrest was connected to the earlier detention of two Nigerian nationals who were found with cocaine at the airport.
