The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a notorious drug kingpin, Mohammed Ali Abubakar, popularly known as Bello Karama, alongside five members of his criminal syndicate, over a plot that led to the arrest of three innocent Nigerians currently detained in Saudi Arabia for alleged drug trafficking.
The suspects, who allegedly operated out of Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano, were accused of checking in bags containing illicit substances in the names of unsuspecting pilgrims traveling to Jeddah for lesser hajj on August 6, 2025. The three victims—Mrs. Maryam Hussain Abdullahi, Mrs. Abdullahi Bahijja Aminu, and Mr. Abdulhamid Saddiq—were arrested upon arrival in Jeddah aboard Ethiopian Airlines flight ET940.
Addressing a press conference in Abuja on Monday, NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, explained that investigations revealed how the extra bags were fraudulently tagged with the names of the victims without their knowledge, in collusion with aviation handling staff. He noted that Abubakar, who masterminded the operation, departed Nigeria for Jeddah the same day on Egypt Air, while his accomplices checked in seven bags linked to the unsuspecting pilgrims.
One of the suspects, Celestina Emmanuel Yayock, confessed to checking in two of the bags for a payment of ₦100,000, while another, Jazuli Kabir, admitted to processing two other bags for the same fee. Currently, six suspects are in NDLEA custody, with four—Abubakar, Abdulbasit Adamu, Murtala Akande Olalekan, and Yayock—already charged in court.
Babafemi emphasized that the agency is working closely with Saudi Arabia’s General Directorate of Narcotics Control (GDNC) to secure the release of the detained Nigerians. He added that NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd.), is scheduled to meet with GDNC officials during an upcoming international drug conference and is prepared to travel to Saudi Arabia if required.
“The facts clearly show that these Nigerians are victims of a criminal conspiracy, and we will not allow them to suffer unjustly,” Babafemi assured. He stressed that while NDLEA remains committed to the global fight against drug trafficking, it would never abandon innocent citizens caught up in such criminal schemes.