By Ishaya Ibrahim
The government of Saudi Arabia has released the Nigerian lady, Zainab Aliyu, who had been detained in the country since December 2018 over alleged hard substance found in her luggage.
An investigation by Nigeria’s Drug Law Enforcement Agency revealed that the drugs were planted in her luggage by some dubious Airport officials in Kano.
Another Nigerian, Ibrahim Abubakar, is expected to be released tomorrow. He was also set up the same way as Zainab.
There had been several calls for her release with President Muhammadu Buhari directing the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, to swiftly intervene and secure her immediate release.
Following the President’s directive, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Diaspora Affairs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, assured Nigerians that they were making good progress and she would be back, along with two others in the same situation.
Zainab, who is a student of Maitama Sule University, Kano, was arrested after a banned drug, tramadol, was found in her bag.
She claimed it was planted in her luggage by unknown persons.
The student had reportedly travelled from Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport in company with her mother, Mrs. Maryam Aliyu, and sister, Hajara Aliyu, but was arrested over allegations that a bag bearing her name tag contained the unlawful substance.
Amnesty International has berated Saudi Arabia’s use of the death penalty which has claimed the lives of innocent people.
Zainab and Abubakar would have been victims of a miscarriage of justice if the Nigerian authorities had not intervened with its full weight.
