The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has uncovered and dismantled a drug trafficking syndicate that attempted to exploit the annual Hajj pilgrimage as a cover to smuggle cocaine into Saudi Arabia.
According to a statement issued on Sunday by NDLEA Spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, the agency intercepted the operation following the arrest of two suspected couriers, Ibrahim Umar Mustapha and Muhammad Siraj Shifado, at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport on May 26, 2025.
The duo had intended to board Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET 940 en route to Jeddah.
Babafemi explained that actionable intelligence prompted NDLEA operatives to subject the suspects to full-body scans, which revealed the presence of illicit substances in their systems.
“They were subsequently placed on excretion observation, during which they excreted 45 wraps of cocaine each,” Babafemi disclosed.
“The total number of pellets retrieved was 90, weighing approximately 1.04 kilograms.”
Further investigations, Babafemi added, led to the unmasking of the drug mules’ sponsors, identified as members of a notorious network known for smuggling narcotics to Saudi Arabia.
He noted that rapid follow-up operations resulted in the arrest of three key figures, Abubakar Muhammad, Abdulhakeem Muhammed Tijjani, and Muhammad Aji Shugaba, on May 27 and 28 in Kano.
This latest crackdown highlights the NDLEA’s sustained efforts in curbing international drug trafficking operations and securing Nigeria’s borders against the illicit drug trade.
