There has been widespread confusion following the detention of a Nigerian pilgrim in Saudi Arabia, after her name was reportedly linked to a suspicious bag mistakenly tagged by Ethiopian Airlines.
Maryam Hussaini-Abdullahi, who traveled with her husband, Abdullahi Baffa, for the lesser Hajj on August 6, was prevented from returning to Nigeria after Saudi authorities claimed her information was associated with a “Ghana-must-go” sack allegedly containing substances suspected to be marijuana.
Baffa stated that the couple only traveled with two bags, which were properly cleared at Malam Aminu Kano International Airport. However, upon arriving in Jeddah, they were informed that their luggage was missing.
He said the airline asked them to wait 48 hours for feedback after filling a complaint form.
“We had no spare clothes, so we had to buy new ones in Madinah,” Baffa explained. “About eight days later, I was told one of the bags was available for pickup, but I refused and asked that it be returned to Nigeria instead.”
The ordeal worsened when the couple attempted to board their return flight. Immigration officials cleared Baffa’s documents but barred Maryam, referring them to an investigation centre in Makkah.
At the centre, Saudi officers alleged that her name was linked to a suspicious bag. But upon inspection, the luggage tag number did not match those issued to the couple. Still, Maryam was ordered into detention pending further investigation.
“She told me the investigators showed her a Ghana-must-go sack with strange items inside. She has no connection whatsoever to that bag,” Baffa insisted, accusing Ethiopian Airlines of negligence and a possible cover-up.
He further claimed that airline representatives privately admitted the bag’s contents were “not incriminating” and promised resolution, yet his wife remains in custody.
The Nigerian Consulate in Madinah has since stepped in, with officials confirming they are following up with Saudi authorities.
Consul General Muazam Nayaya said the mission had received a formal complaint and would forward its findings to Abuja.
Meanwhile, a staff member of Ethiopian Airlines told newsmen that the matter was under investigation, noting the complexity of tracing luggage through multiple transit points.
Baffa has called on the Nigerian government to intervene urgently and demanded that CCTV footage from Kano airport be released to prove his wife’s innocence.
Libya, Saudi Arabia, and other Middle Eastern countries maintain some of the world’s toughest drug laws, with possession of narcotics often attracting severe penalties, including death.
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