Major Drug Smuggling Operation Uncovered at Kano International Airport
A significant drug trafficking operation has been uncovered by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Kano State, Nigeria. The agency has arrested several employees of the Nigerian Skyway Aviation Handling Company Plc (SAHCO) for their alleged involvement in planting illicit drugs in travelers’ luggage at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport.
The suspects are part of a larger criminal syndicate that is linked to the detention of three innocent Nigerians in Saudi Arabia. These individuals were detained after completing their lesser hajj pilgrimage and were found with drugs in their luggage, which they had no knowledge of.
Key Figures in the Case
The NDLEA revealed that a 55-year-old drug kingpin, Mohammed Ali Abubakar, also known as Bello Karama, and five other members of the syndicate have been taken into custody. This development was announced during a press conference held at the agency’s national headquarters in Abuja on Monday.
The briefing was led by the NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, alongside the Director of Assets and Financial Investigation, Abdul Ibrahim, and the Director of Prosecutions and Legal Services, Theresa Asuquo.
According to Babafemi, the case came to light after the NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (retd.), received petitions from three families whose relatives were detained in Saudi Arabia on drug trafficking allegations.
The Victims and Their Luggage
The three Nigerian pilgrims involved in the case were Maryam Abdullahi, Abdullahi Aminu, and Abdulhamid Saddiq. They boarded an Ethiopian Airlines flight ET940 from Kano to Jeddah via Addis Ababa on August 6, 2025. Unknown to them, six extra bags, three of which contained illicit drugs, were checked in against their names.
One of the victims, Abdullahi, checked in only one bag weighing nine kilograms, which did not arrive with her at her destination. Her husband was informed of the arrival of their luggage on August 16, a day before they departed from Jeddah. Following this, she was detained and remains in custody. The other two cases followed the same pattern.
The Role of the Syndicate
Investigations showed that the illicit bags were traced to Abubakar. All the bags were linked to Ali Abubakar Mohammed, who checked them into the Ethiopian Airlines flight on the same day the three complainants traveled. Interestingly, he boarded EgyptAir instead of Ethiopian Airlines, where his contaminated bags were tagged in the names of the complainants.
The SAHCO workers aided the syndicate in tagging the bags without the victims’ knowledge. The bags illegally tagged against the complainants’ names were intercepted in Saudi Arabia, leading to the arrest and detention of the three Nigerians for crimes they did not know of.
Charges and Confessions
Six members of the syndicate are currently in custody, with four already charged in court. The suspects include Abubakar, Abdulbasit Adamu, Murtala Akande Olalekan, and Celestina Yayock. All have made confessional statements.
Ali admitted to bringing in seven bags, while Celestina confessed to checking in two for a fee of N100,000. Another suspect, Jazuli Kabir, also confessed to checking in two bags for the same amount. Receipts show the transfer of N200,000 from Ali to Celestina, who then passed N100,000 to Jazuli.
Collaboration with Saudi Authorities
The NDLEA is working with Saudi authorities to exonerate the detained Nigerians. The Chairman/Chief Executive of the agency is attending an international drug conference where he will meet delegates from the General Directorate of Narcotics Control of Saudi Arabia to present their findings. If necessary, he is prepared to travel to the Kingdom to personally pursue justice for the citizens.
Babafemi assured Nigerians that the NDLEA would not allow innocent citizens to suffer for crimes committed by criminal syndicates. While there are no sacred cows in their enforcement duties, the agency will never support the innocent being punished for crimes they did not commit.
Support from Other Agencies
The agency also commended the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, the Aviation Security Services, and the Department of State Services for their collaboration and interim measures at the Kano airport to prevent a recurrence.
This case follows the arrest of a 50-year-old widow and fashion designer, Mrs Ifeoma Henrietta Ezewuike, who allegedly attempted to smuggle 1.3 kilograms of cocaine by faking a pregnancy.
