Gbenro Adesina
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) on Tuesday September 1, 2020, revealed that an indigene of Zamfara State, Ibrahim Ibrahim, who was locked up in a prison for many years in Saudi Arabia, for an offense he did not commit, has returned home.
According to the Commission, Ibrahim has been illegally locked up in Saudi Prison for several years and was released after the intervention of President Muhammadu Buhari, Zamfara State Governor, Bello Muhammad Mutawalle, Nigerian’s mission in Jeddah and NIDCOM.
The Commission stated, “Ibrahim Ibrahim, who was locked up in Saudi prison for years for an offense he did not commit, is now back home in Zamfara state.”.
Among those who went to Saudi Arabia to rescue the Saudi Arabian victim is NIDCOM Legal director, Barrister Bello, who came home with Ibrahim.
The ordeal of Ibrahim Ibrahim, a cleric and an indigene of Zamfara State began in March 2017 when he travelled to Saudi Arabia for lesser Hajj also known as Umrah. Upon arrival at King Abdulazeez International Airport, Jeddah, Ibrahim was held and charged for alleged drug trafficking by Saudi Arabia security operatives. He ended up spending three years behind bars despite being innocent.
On Tuesday, February 18, 2020, a delegation from the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) and the Zamfara state government was present in court at Jeddah to prove Ibrahim’s innocence during his trial.
The evidence presented by the delegation at two lower courts shows that Ibrahim was set up by some people who have been arrested and confessed to committing the act.
The court ruled in favour of Ibrahim and freed him from the drug trafficking charges, noting that he was wrongly accused.
