NDLEA Bust Hajj Drug Cartel, Arrest ‘Kingpins’ Using Pilgrims To Smuggle Cocaine To Saudi Arabia

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says its operatives have uncovered and dismantled a syndicate that sponsors hajj pilgrims who also serve as couriers to move cocaine to Saudi Arabia during pilgrimage.

The NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, who made this known in a statement issued on Sunday, said the operation followed the arrest of leaders of the cartel in Kano state.

Babafemi said “three kingpins of the syndicate”, namely Abubakar Muhammad, Abdulhakeem Muhammed Tijjani, and Muhammad Aji Shugaba, were arrested on Tuesday, May 27 and Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Kano.

According to him, the arrest of the suspects was a follow-up to the arrest of two pilgrims identified as Ibrahim Umar Mustapha and Muhammad Siraj Shifado at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano on Monday, May 26, during the outward clearance of passengers on Ethiopian Airline flight ET 940 to Jedda, Saudi Arabia.

“The interdiction of the intending pilgrims at the NDLEA final screening point at the Kano airport was based on credible intelligence,” Babafemi stated.

“When they were taken for scanning, the result confirmed ingestion of illicit substances. They were subsequently placed on excretion observation during which they excreted 45 wraps of cocaine each, bringing the total for both to 90 pellets with a total weight of 1.04kg.”

The NDLEA spokesperson said an investigation soon unravelled their sponsors as leaders of a notorious drug trafficking network, which specialises in trafficking illicit drugs to Saudi Arabia.

He noted that following the findings, a “swift follow-up operation was carried out, and the trio of Abubakar Muhammad, Abdulhakeem Muhammed Tijjani, and Muhammad Aji Shugaba were arrested”.