By Victoria Ojeme

The Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama has expressed delight over the release of its citizens Ms. Zainab Aliyu and Ibrahim Abubakar that were erroneously accused of trafficking hard drugs to Saudi Arabia.

Geoffrey Onyeama

Onyeama who said this in an interview with Journalists in Guinea Bissau expressed Nigeria’s appreciation to the Saudi Authority.

Mr. Onyeama disclosed that the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs had engaged the Saudi Arabian authorities in a very quiet diplomacy to secure the release of the two Nigerians.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been conducting a very quiet diplomacy with the Saudi Authorities for some time now, we provided them with documentation and this has obviously led to the release.”

“It also shows the benefit of quiet diplomacy which has been conducted as opposed to conducting our foreign affairs on Twitter and other social media, so we are very happy that quiet diplomacy has proven its worth.”

READ ALSO: Police arrest 24 over narcotics in Kano

“In this case, we know this is an innocent Nigerian who some criminals had planted drugs in her name.”

Ms Zainab Aliyu is a Nigerian student who was detained in Saudi Arabia after hard drugs were found in a bag labelled in her name at the Saudi Airport.

The Nigerian government said she was a victim of drug cartel at the Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano State, North West Nigeria.

The cartel is reported to specialize in placing hard drugs in bags owned by travellers while on their way to destination countries.

Some members of the cartel have been arrested.

On the execution recently of another Nigerian, Kudirat Afolabi in Saudi Arabia for drug smuggling, Mr Onyeama denied the allegations that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs failed to do anything to avert that.

“It was unfortunate that there was another case a couple of weeks ago where a Nigerian lady was executed in Saudi Arabia for drug smuggling.”

“Some people were very unfair, giving impression that the Ministry was somehow responsible for the execution of this lady because she was innocent, of course, that was not true, it was unfortunate the false narrative that was created.

“In that case unlike this case, that lady was found with drugs, they want to make it look like the same case as the present case.”

Mr. Onyeama said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would remain focus on the work they have to do for the benefit of all Nigerians around the world.

VANGUARD