The Saudi Arabian government has released three Nigerian women who were arrested for possession of cocaine.
The development was disclosed in a statement by the spokesman of Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, on Sunday in Abuja.
Ebienfa said the release of the women followed high-level diplomatic engagements between the Nigerian government and Saudi authorities.
He listed the released Nigerian women as Hadiza Abba, Fatima Malah and Fatima Gamboi. They were arrested for alleged possession of substance suspected to be cocaine while on pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.
The Nigerians were apprehended on March 5, 2024 at Prince Mohammad bin Abdul Azeez International Airport, Madinah, Saudi Arabia, and released after spending 10 months in detention