Maryam Hussaini-Abdullahi, a Nigerian woman from Kano, has been detained by Saudi Arabian authorities following an incident involving a luggage mix-up by Ethiopian Airlines. The confusion arose when a bag containing marijuana was mistakenly linked to her luggage, leading to her arrest upon arrival in Saudi Arabia.
Maryam, who traveled with her husband on August 6 for a lesser Hajj pilgrimage, encountered trouble when police connected a suspicious “Ghana must go” sack to her name. Her husband, Abdullahi Baffa, has disputed the claim, stating that the couple traveled with only one bag each, both of which cleared security screening at Malam Aminu Kano International Airport without issue.
Upon arrival in Jeddah, their luggage was missing, and despite following airline procedures for luggage complaints, the couple received no satisfactory resolution. Eight days later, when one of the bags was ready for collection, Abdullahi requested it be sent back to Nigeria, fearing complications. However, the situation escalated when Maryam was suddenly barred from traveling back with her husband, who was allowed to depart.
At the investigation center in Makkah, authorities showed Maryam the suspicious bag allegedly carrying marijuana, but the luggage tags did not match hers. Despite this, she remains in detention pending further inquiries.
The Nigerian Consulate in Jeddah has been notified and is engaging with Saudi authorities to investigate and assist in the matter. Ethiopian Airlines has also confirmed that it has launched an investigation into the mix-up, acknowledging the complexity of the case due to multiple stations involved.
Maryam’s case has drawn concern from Nigerian officials and human rights advocates, who are calling for swift resolution and justice, emphasizing her innocence and the apparent error on the part of the airline.
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