Saudi authorities nab another Nigerian with cocaine

Another Nigerian, Saheed Sobade, is facing the prospect of death in Saudi Arabia after reportedly being nabbed with 1,183 grams of cocaine powder in Jeddah, a Saudi Arabian port city on the Red Sea and gateway for pilgrimages to the Islamic holy cities Mecca and Medina.

Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, made the revelation on Friday while speaking on Arise Television.

“I have bad news for you,” she said.

“Just yesterday (Thursday), in the midst of the cacophony of 20 to be killed, eight have been killed, another Nigerian was caught with cocaine in Jeddah.

“He was caught with 1,183 grams of cocaine powder. As he was arrested, the mission was informed and his name is Saheed Ayinde Sobade.”

Only on April 1, Saudi authorities executed Kudirat Afolabi, a Nigerian a widow and mother of two, for drug-related offences, sparking outrage from the Ministry of Foreign affairs, which said the Saudi authorities did not inform the Nigerian mission in Saudi Arabia of the arrest and prosecution of the executed Nigerian.

Noting that the Saudi government does not spare drug convicts, she warned Nigerians resident in the Asian country to be of good conduct. She also appealed to those back home not to tribalise crime”.

“It’s a sad commentary that at this point in our lives we are tribalising crime,” she lamented.

“Crime is crime. We should not debase the green passport. We should not allow a few bad eggs to spoil the bond. The Dubai thing was all over the place. We saw the faces released to the public; only the eyes were covered and also the names.

“So, there’s no reason why it will not be mentioned. However, for the Saudi incident, the woman that was executed, we had to tell the family first before making an announcement. So after informing the family, the Minister for Foreign affairs issued a statement stating her name, Kudirat Adesola Afolabi, a lady and a mother of two.”

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