The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 55-year-old drug kingpin, Mohammed Ali Abubakar, popularly known as Bello Karama, and five members of his syndicate for allegedly framing three Nigerian pilgrims by planting drug-laden bags in their names at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA).
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The suspects were accused of checking in bags containing illicit substances under the names of three unsuspecting travellers, who were on their way to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, for the lesser hajj on August 6, 2025.
NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this on Monday during a press conference in Abuja, where he was joined by the agency’s Director of Assets and Financial Investigation, Dr. Abdul Ibrahim, and the Director of Prosecution and Legal Services, Theresa Asuquo.
The victims, Mrs. Maryam Hussain Abdullahi, Mrs. Abdullahi Bahijja Aminu, and Mr. Abdulhamid Saddiq were arrested by Saudi authorities in Jeddah after arriving on Ethiopian Airlines flight ET940. NDLEA investigations later revealed that additional bags containing drugs had been secretly tagged to their travel documents by members of the cartel in collusion with aviation handling staff.
According to Babafemi, Abubakar, who masterminded the operation, travelled to Jeddah the same day on Egypt Air, while his associates checked in seven bags in the names of the unsuspecting pilgrims. One of the suspects, Celestina Emmanuel Yayock, admitted receiving N100,000 to check in two of the bags, while another, Jazuli Kabir, confessed to handling two others for the same amount.
In total, six suspects are currently in NDLEA custody. Four of them, Abubakar, Abdulbasit Adamu, Murtala Akande Olalekan, and Yayock have already been charged to court, while further investigations continue.
Babafemi added that NDLEA is engaging with Saudi Arabia’s General Directorate of Narcotics Control to secure the release of the detained Nigerians. He also noted that the agency’s Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd.), is scheduled to meet Saudi officials during an upcoming international drug conference and is prepared to travel to the Kingdom if necessary.
