3 Nigerian Pilgrims Arrested In Saudi Arabia For Drug Trafficking
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Three Nigerian Muslim pilgrims on Wednesday were arrested by Saudi Arabia security operatives for alleged possession of substance suspected to be cocaine.
Executive Secretary, Kwara Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Fatima Abolore-Jimoh, who confirmed the arrest in Saudi Arabia in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) said they were caught in Madinnah, Saudi Arabia.
Jimoh who did not disclose their identities said the three pilgrims caught by the Saudi Arabia authorities were among the first batch of 505 Pilgrims from Kwara and still in custody
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She described the arrest as unfortunate and painful in spite of several appeals to them to be good ambassadors of Kwara and Nigeria.
The sale of drugs in Saudi Arabia usually results in a death penalty. Saudi Arabia and judicial authorities are not inclined to make exceptions. Alcohol use is illegal in Saudi Arabia, and possession or use of alcohol or drugs can be punished by public flogging, fines, lengthy imprisonment, or death.
Saudi Arabia has one of the toughest laws on drug trafficking which invites the death penalty (often public beheading) under Arabic laws.
NAN reports that 1,978 pilgrims from the state are performing the 2016 pilgrimage exercise.
