Three Nigerian pilgrims for this year’s Hajj exercise at the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia risk execution over their alleged involvement in drug trafficking. The pilgrims from Kwara State, whose identities were being protected, were arrested for alleged possession of substance suspected to be cocaine.
Drug trafficking offence carries death penalty in Saudi Arabia.
A source who is familiar with the incident, but asked not to be named, told New Telegraph that the three pilgrims belong to a drug syndicate. According to the source, five people were involved in the drug trafficking, out of which three of them were already caught while the two others were yet to leave Nigeria when their partners had been arrested in Saudi.
His words: “Yes, they are Kwarans, but not resident in Ilorin. They came to board from Lagos. What we heard was that they were five in number. They were discovered with the drugs and the initial thinking was that they were working in pairs with their colleagues who were expected to come on the second flight.
So, there was surveillance on the two ends, from Nigeria and Saudi Arabia, but since no one has been caught again, it may be that the others had taken cover. “It is not clear yet whether they are from Ilorin, but what is clear is that they are Kwarans. I think the National Hajj Commission will give more details. Beyond this, nothing else to add except maybe to reiterate that they are still with the police.”