President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, to ensure the release of Zainab Aliyu.
Aliyu, a Nigerian student, has been in detention in Saudi Arabia after illegal dosage of tramadol was found in a bag labelled in her name at a Saudi airport.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora matters, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, disclosed the president’s directive in a statement on Monday.
National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) had said that Aliyu was a victim of a cartel at the Aminu Kano airport in Kano.
It also said the cartel specialises in placing hard drugs in the luggage of air travellers.
However, Dabiri-Erewa said Mr Buhari gave the directive immediately the matter was brought to his attention about two weeks ago.
She also said Aliyu “though detained, has not been put on trial by the Saudi Arabia government. And with the hard evidence that those who implicated her have been arrested, a strong legal case is being made to the Saudi authorities.
“Mr Habib Aliyu, the father of the alleged drug courier, Zainab Aliyu, had appealed to the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Saudi authorities and the international community, as well as well-meaning individuals to intervene in her daughter’s case and save the ‘innocent’ lady from being executed wrongly.
“Zainab, a student of Maitama Sule University, Kano, had travelled from Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) in company with her mother, Mrs Maryam Aliyu, and sister, Hajara Aliyu. She was later arrested over allegations that (a) luggage, bearing her name tag, contained the unlawful substance.”
Dabiri-Erewa added that her office had been working with the AGF to return Aliyu home safely.
