Two Nigerian pilgrims have been arrested in Saudi Arabia for allegedly being in possession of banned drugs.

The pilgrims were among the thousands currently undergoing the hajj operation in Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia and comprise a male and female.

The two pilgrims could face death penalty for carrying banned drugs. In Saudi Arabia, the punishment for carrying banned drugs is death when convicted by the laws of the land.

P.M.NEWS gathered from a source currently undergoing the hajj operation in Saudi Arabia that the two pilgrims were from Lagos State, but the Lagos State Government said the pilgrims were from Kwara and Ekiti states. The banned drugs were said to be hidden in garri. This has made the Saudi authorities to ban carrying of foodstuff to the holy land by Nigerian pilgrims.

The Nigerian female was said to have been nabbed by vigilant Saudi security operatives at the King Abdullaziz International Airport on Thursday for being in possession of banned drugs. The other culprit was reported to have been arrested on Sunday after being found with substance suspected to be cocaine.

The names of the pilgrims could not be ascertained by our source as at press time. It was gathered that the pilgrims, if found guilty according to Saudi law, would be executed.

Chairman, Lagos Hajj Ad-hoc Committee, Alhaji Abdullateef Abdulhakeem, confirmed that two pilgrims were arrested by the Saudi Authorities but denied that the arrested pilgrims were from Lagos, saying they were from Kwara and Ekiti States.

As a result of the development, the Lagos State Government has barred the remaining pilgrims going to Saudi Arabia from carrying foodstuffs.

Over 3, 000 Lagos pilgrims have so far been airlifted to Saudi Arabia out of the 3,885 pilgrims from the state, while airlifting of the pilgrims may be concluded this week.

The Lagos State Government has vowed to deal with any pilgrim who misbehaved in Saudi Arabia during next month’s hajj. To ensure hitch-free hajj, the Lagos State Government said it had set up a special taskforce made up of officials of the Rapid Response Squad, RRS, Chief Security Officer, CSO of the state and Governor’s Monitoring Team officials, among others to monitor Lagos pilgrims in Saudi Arabia and deal with erring ones.

Commissioner for Home Affairs and Culture, Alhaji Oyinlomo Danmole said government would not tolerate any form of indiscipline from any Lagos pilgrim.

“Any pilgrim who misbehaves will be dealt with. We also have a tribunal in place to try erring pilgrims in Saudi Arabia,” he said, adding that during the last hajj, a pilgrim who misbehaved was prosecuted after the hajj in Lagos.”

Chairman, Hajj Ad-hoc Committee, Abdulhakeem said government had adequately prepared to ensure hitch-free hajj as it had organised seminar to enlighten the intending pilgrims on the basic rules of hajj. “We have engaged the services of a separate airline to convey our pilgrims to Saudi Arabia. We will not be using the same airline with other pilgrims in the Southwest. We have also decided not to keep our pilgrims longer in Saudi Arabia after the hajj.
http://pmnewsnigeria.com/2012/10/09/2-nigerian-pilgrims-held-for-drugs/

Gosh!

I STAND TO BE CORRECTED BUT ISNT THE PENALTY DEATH?

He he he he he he he!!!! I laughed and marvelled...

This is one of the reasons the Saudi govt has deporting our people. They know we are all crooks in this country

even in a place where death penalty is the norm, we still they carry drugs go there?
i dey laugh, RIP

Na wa oh... Naija done fall hands this time

Babzilla: I STAND TO BE CORRECTED BUT ISNT THE PENALTY DEATH?

yea, if you were patient enough to read the entire article you wont need to be corrected

NO KILLINGS OH....PLS TAKE DEM TO COURT

Very good!!!
I knew this was bound to happen.
Just yesterday I commented and told the Speaker of the House to ensure the pilgrim board warns Nigerians against illicit acts in the Holy land.

This are the set of people that make Saudi and other Nations put stiff regulations on Nigerians.


See the main point -Lagos, Garri, Hard Drugs....I won't say more than that.





https://www.nairaland.com/1069144/saudi-agrees-accept-deported-pilgrims

acidtalk: Okay let's be watching. Because Nigerian politicians are pathetic liars known to raise the hopes of the common man only to find out they were lying.

Also let them caution seriously both the male and female pilgrims against illicit act in the Holy land because the Arabs won't put sentiments in their punishment the way it happens over here.

Wish them all a safe journey and pilgrimage.

I passed the above comment just yesterday knowing the average Nigerian thinks it is NORMAL to be a criminal.

Honestly, I think it is time to start doing IQ tests for people want to run for office. See this foool arguing about what state they are from.

The Saudi Govt don't care about that, all they know is 2 NIGERIANS were arrested!!!

Just another way of passing the buck.

Stupid azz!

so Aboki dey carry cocaine?no offense plz................ just thinking aloud

I thought they go there to worship sponsored by our government. SMH

urch999: so Aboki dey carry cocaine?no offense plz................ just thinking aloud

Did you read the article at all??!!

Sisi_Kill:

Did you read the article at all??!!

lol niqqas stay scheming thru articles

Aboki n yanriyan missing Business/crime with Religion.

"Not from lagos.maybe kwara or ilorin" does it matter the state they came from? As long as they are nigerians, dem don fucck up big time! Who's gonna plead on their behalf now? Absolutely no one!! WHAT A SHAME!!

If this thing no dey pain me, Na big lie I lie... Na wa oh... Lagos people fall hands big time... Na which kind nonsense this guys don put Nigerians inside.... How we wan carry travel now.... Soon, even Niger & Benin Republic go give us laws before we go enter their country....

Chei! We no dey hear word oh....dem go hear am.

Horrible

And to imagine that they hid the drugs in that yellow or white, eatable and drinkable stuff that should not be mentioned on Nairaland..... ..... This is an insult.... We need to protest...

#TeamG

Abi na cigar wey dem hide inside garri wey dem dey say na banned drugs? U know say dem saudi people no send for we dudu, na kpai dem dey be dat na I no fit laugh oh.

exxell: And to imagine that they hid the drugs in that yellow or white, eatable and drinkable stuff that should not be mentioned on Nairaland..... ..... This is an insult.... We need to protest...

#TeamG

Brother, I stand to be corrected... Were you by chance talking about GARRI?

I still don't know Nigerians are going to Saudi Arabia smh....

Why can't you guys worship your own gods and deities, and stop flocking there for crying out loud??

Oshun, Obatala, Olukun, Amadiaoha etc.. are there in your country, yet you chose to flock to Saudi Arabia(for Kaaba) and Israel where they treat you like the black savages that you're...

I know some will argue that the African gods are not potent, but is the muslim god potent as well?? We all know how messed up the Middle-east is... Is the Christian god also potent?? We all know Nigeria has the highest number of churches in the world, yet the country is in abyss...

Religion is for consciousness, stop this madness already!!!

smfh daht shyt make mi sad pot headz

exxell: And to imagine that they hid the drugs in that yellow or white, eatable and drinkable stuff that should not be mentioned on Nairaland..... ..... This is an insult.... We need to protest...

#TeamG

Im telling you o. They have embarrassed our nairaland too. Can you imagine? Taking our only valuable food into dirt. Thats too bad.