Saudi Arabia Releases Three Nigerian Women After Ten Months of Detention

Saudi Arabia Releases Three Nigerian Women After Ten Months of Detention

Saudi Arabia has released three Nigerian women who were previously arrested and prosecuted in the country.

 The acting spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, announced the release in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday, January 5, 2025. This positive development followed high-level diplomatic engagements between the Nigerian government and Saudi authorities.

The three women—Hadiza Abba, Fatima Malah, and Fatima Gamboi—were arrested for allegedly possessing a substance suspected to be cocaine while on pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia. They were apprehended on March 5, 2024, at Prince Mohammad bin Abdul Azeez International Airport in Madinah. After a lengthy legal process, they spent ten months in detention before their release