Nigeria’s foreign affairs ministry has announced that three Nigerians arrested and detained in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in August, have been cleared of all drug trafficking charges.

In a statement on X on Tuesday, the foreign affairs minister, Yusuf Tuggar, said, “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the Consulate General of Nigeria in Jeddah has secured the release and full lifting of the travel ban on three Nigerian nationals: Mr Abdulhamid Sadieq, Mrs Maryam Hussein Abdullahi, and Mrs Bahijah Aminu Abdullahi who were arrested in August 2025 at the King Abdul Aziz International Airport, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

“The arrests followed the discovery of prohibited substances in luggage fraudulently attached to their air tickets by criminal syndicates at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), without their knowledge.”

Nigeria’s consul general in Jeddah, Muazam Nayaya, “upon notification, immediately engaged Saudi authorities and reported the matter to headquarters in Abuja, while also requesting the intervention of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, to support investigations”, the statement explained.

Following thorough investigations, the Saudi authorities cleared the three Nigerians of all wrongdoing and released them from detention on September 14 and 15.

“A temporary travel restriction imposed pending the completion of security procedures has now been fully lifted,” said the ministry.

“Mrs Maryam Hussein Abdullahi and Mrs Bahijah Aminu Abdullahi returned to Nigeria on 5th November 2025, while the travel ban on Mr Abdulhamid Sadieq was lifted on 2nd December 2025,” the statement disclosed. “Arrangements for his return are currently being finalised by the Nigerian Mission.”