By Favour Ulebor, Abuja
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) has advised Nigerians abroad to always respect the laws of their host countries, even as it commended security agencies and government institutions for facilitating the release of three citizens recently detained in Saudi Arabia.
In a statement on Thursday signed by Gabriel Odu of the Media, Public Relations and Protocols Unit, NIDCOM Chairman/CEO, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, expressed relief over the discharge of Mrs. Maryam Hussain Abdullahi, Mr. Abdullahi Bahijja Aminu, and Mr. Abdulhamid Saddieq, who were held for four weeks but later found innocent.
She applauded the collaborative efforts of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Nigerian Consulate in Jeddah, describing the outcome as a demonstration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to protect Nigerians abroad from unjust treatment.
Dabiri-Erewa recalled previous cases involving Zainab Aliyu and Ibrahim Ibrahim, who were similarly freed in Saudi Arabia after being wrongfully accused of drug offences. She stressed that while government would always defend its citizens, Nigerians must also avoid unnecessary problems by obeying host laws and ensuring due diligence when traveling.
She specifically urged travelers to heed NDLEA’s advice by carefully checking their luggage tags before boarding flights. Dabiri-Erewa also appreciated Saudi authorities for their cooperation in reviewing and resolving the case.
Source; Vanguard NEWS
