Some pilgrims in Saudi Arabia have allegedly committed a crime of drug trafficking with security operatives currently unraveling the case.
The rate of drug trafficking by Nigerians outside the country calls for a presidential attention as some pilgrims have been accused of being involved in the transportation of contraband substances.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, the Saudi Arabian authorities have arrested three pilgrims from Kwara State for alleged possession of substance suspected to be cocaine.
This has been described as a deep dent on the image of the country especially during a period when the current administration is working painstakingly to correct the ill perception about Nigerians.
Hajia Fatima Abolore-Jimoh, the Executive Secretary, Kwara Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, confirmed the arrest on Wednesday from Saudi Arabia in a telephone interview with a reporter.
She said the three pilgrims, who were among the first batch of 505 Pilgrims from Kwara, were arrested in Madinnah by Saudi Arabia security operatives.
The executive secretary, who did not disclose the identities of the three suspects, said they were still in the custody of Saudi Arabian authorities. 1,978 pilgrims from the state are performing the 2016 pilgrimage exercise.