By Anifowoshe Oladipupo
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd), has revealed the arrest of two individuals who attempted to smuggle cocaine while posing as pilgrims travelling to Saudi Arabia for the annual Hajj.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Drug Control meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, Marwa disclosed that the suspects had ingested the illicit drug, pretending to be devout Muslims on a holy pilgrimage.
“Just a few days ago, we arrested two would-be pilgrims going to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj. They swallowed cocaine, pretending to be going to the country to pray,” he said.
The NDLEA chief expressed concern over the growing trend of criminal syndicates exploiting religious sentiments, particularly during Hajj, to traffic drugs across international borders.
“We have had incidents where people were deceived in the name of Hajj,” Marwa said, warning of the dangers posed by such criminal tactics.
Despite financial challenges affecting the full implementation of the National Drug Control Master Plan (2021–2025), Marwa affirmed that the agency remains committed to its mission of combating drug trafficking and abuse in Nigeria.
