The cartel was said to have been uncovered after NDLEA detectives embarked on investigation of a Nigerian lady, Zainab Aliyu, who has been accused of entering Saudi Arabia with Tramadol in her luggage and is facing the music in that country. We all know the punishment for drug trafficking into Saudi Arabia is the death penalty.
A student of Maitama Sule University, Kano, Zainab had travelled from Mallam 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.
However, while in detention, the NDLEA had received a petition from Zainab’s father, seeking a probe of his daughter’s ordeal.
Consequently, the NDLEA launched an investigation, which culminated in the arrest and arraignment before a Federal High Court in Kano of seven staff of the airport.
NDLEA says it was further established that Zainab who, like her mother and sister, had only one piece of luggage, was not aware that a second bag had been tagged in her name.
The NDLEA said: “Based on the investigation carried out, Zainab Habibu Aliyu is not the owner of the second luggage tagged in her name.
“On 24th of December 2018, Maryam Habibu Aliyu and her two daughters, Hajara Habibu Aliyu and Zainab Habibu Aliyu, who are students of Maitamia Sule University, Kano, were to travel to Saudi Arabia for Lesser Hajj. The three passengers had one luggage each. At the Departure Hall, three bags belonging to the three passengers were given to one Bako A. Salisu, who weighed the bags, tagged and gave the labels to the passengers.
“Immediately the luggage of the passengers were checked in, Rhoda Adetunji, an official of the Airport Authority (one of the accused persons) approached them, asking for their remaining luggage as the luggage checked-in by the passengers were lower than the total weight they were entitled to travel with – two of their luggage weighed 36kgs while one weighed 17kgs.
“The passengers ignored the said Rhoda Adetunji and went to the arrival hall to purchase yellow card and by the time they came back from the arrival hall to the departure hall, screening for boarding had already started and the three passengers all went for boarding. They never consented nor knew that any other luggage was tagged to the name of any of the passengers.
“On 26th of December 2018 about 12.45 midnight, the Saudi Arabia police came to the hotel room of Maryam and her daughters in Saudi Arabia to arrest one of her daughters, Zainab, on allegation that one of the luggage tagged to her name and passed has prohibited drugs, Tramadol. Zainab is presently in detention in Saudi Arabi awaiting investigation and prosecution.
“Following receipt of the complaint, seven people working at Kano Airport were arrested in connection with the offence.
“In the course of the investigations, the telephones of all the suspects were seized by the agency for investigations, and while going through the phones of the suspects one after the other, it was discovered that the following happened between Sani Suleiman and Idris Umar, alias Umar Sanda. On 24th December 2018, Sani Suleiman with phone number 08036066448 was in conversation with Umar Sanda with phone number 08065499791 at 8.26a.m., 12.47a.m., 03.56p.m., and 4 p.m.
“On the same 24th December 2018, Sani Suleiman with number 08036066448 sent a WhatsApp picture of two parcels to Umar Sanda on phone number 08065499791. Also on the same 24th December, Suleiman sent a WhatsApp picture of two coloured luggage to phone number belonging to one Alhaji Gabari now at large.”
By the way, Nigeria is the only country where officials still physically search your luggage and turn everything upside down in the guise of looking for smuggled items. Everywhere else I know, the luggage goes through the scanners and that’s it.
