By Deborah Nnamdi
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has dismantled a drug trafficking syndicate that was using the annual Hajj pilgrimage as a cover to smuggle cocaine into Saudi Arabia.
According to a statement released on Sunday by NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi, the operation began with the arrest of two suspected drug couriers — Ibrahim Umar Mustapha and Muhammad Siraj Shifado — at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport on May 26, 2025.
The suspects were scheduled to travel to Jeddah aboard Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET 940.
Acting on credible intelligence, NDLEA operatives subjected the suspects to a full body scan, which revealed they had ingested illicit drugs. They were placed under excretion monitoring and subsequently expelled 45 wraps of cocaine each, totaling 90 pellets and weighing approximately 1.04 kilograms.
Further investigation led to the identification of the cartel’s masterminds — leaders of a well-established drug network specializing in trafficking narcotics to Saudi Arabia.
A swift follow-up operation resulted in the arrest of three key suspects: Abubakar Muhammad, Abdulhakeem Muhammed Tijjani, and Muhammad Aji Shugaba, on May 27 and 28, 2025, in Kano.
