NDLEA Arrest Two Hajj Pilgrims Attempting To Smuggle Cocaine To Saudi Arabia

The Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brigadier General Buba Marwa (retired), has revealed that two people were recently caught trying to smuggle cocaine to Saudi Arabia by pretending to be pilgrims heading for the annual Hajj.

Marwa disclosed this information on Wednesday during the opening session of an Inter-Ministerial Committee on Drug Control meeting in Abuja.

According to him, the suspects had swallowed cocaine and disguised themselves as religious travelers on their way to perform the holy pilgrimage.

“Just a few days ago, we arrested two would-be pilgrims going to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj. They swallowed cocaine, pretending to be going to the country to pray,” he said.

Marwa warned about the growing trend of criminals using religious events like Hajj as a cover to smuggle drugs.

He cited an earlier case from two years ago, where three unsuspecting women were tricked into trafficking cocaine.

They were offered free Hajj travel packages and given a bag to deliver to someone in Saudi Arabia, unaware that cocaine was hidden in the lining.

“We have had incidents where people were deceived in the name of Hajj. Two years ago, three women were duped. Some individuals offered to pay for their tickets, and visas among others.

“Before they left, they were given a small bag to deliver to a supposed relative in Saudi Arabia. Unknown to them, cocaine had been sewn into the lining of the bag,” he recounted

Despite financial hurdles slowing down the full rollout of the National Drug Control Master Plan (2021–2025), Marwa stressed that the agency remains focused and determined.

“Instead, we stay resolute, drawing strength from our shared vision, commitment, and collective responsibility to overcome this limitation. Encouragingly, certain developments promise to bolster the achievement of our objectives.

“One such step is the amendment of the NDLEA Act, which is expected to significantly strengthen the agency’s institutional capacity in drug supply reduction.

“I am pleased to inform this esteemed assembly that the amended Act has been passed by the National Assembly and is currently awaiting presidential assent,” he stated.

Giving an overview of NDLEA’s recent efforts, Marwa shared statistics from 2023 and 2024 under the National Drug Control Master Plan.

He reported the arrest of over 31,000 drug offenders, with nearly 7,000 convictions, adding that the agency seized more than 4.3 million kilograms of illegal substances and destroyed over 426 hectares of cannabis farms.

On the rehabilitation front, Marwa said the agency also provided counseling and rehab services to over 19,000 people under its Drug Demand Reduction strategy.

“Under the Supply Reduction pillar, our operational efforts and strategic offensives led to the arrest of 31,334 drug offenders, of whom 6,839 were convicted.

“We also recorded the seizure of 4,333,636.9 kilograms of assorted illicit drugs and undertook the destruction of 426.46724 hectares of cannabis farms.

“Under the Drug Demand Reduction strategic pillar, we provided counselling and rehabilitation services to 19,033 individuals, “ he added.

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), represented by Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, said he was optimistic that the amended NDLEA Act would soon be signed by President Bola Tinubu.

He noted that the Ministry of Justice has worked closely with NDLEA to enhance legal frameworks and also supports efforts to tackle the financial systems behind drug trafficking.

“The Federal Ministry of Justice has worked together with the NDLEA to ensure that our national legal system effectively supports the drug control efforts of the Agency.

“We are at the final stage of the amendment process for the NDLEA Act, which will significantly enhance the organizational capability of the Agency to combat substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking in Nigeria.

“The ministry is also providing appropriate support in the area of proceeds of crime management, which is essential for dismantling the financial networks of drug traffickers,” he added.

KanyiDaily recalls that NDLEA recently intercepted opioids worth more than N6.5 billion at seaports in Lagos and Rivers states during operations carried out last week.