Mixed reactions have trailed a report by a national newspaper that the Foreign Affairs ministry played no role in the release of Zainab Aliyu and Ibrahim Abubakar from Saudi Arabia prison.
The Newspaper claimed that the ministry was not “forthcoming” on Zainab and other Nigerians arrested for drugs until the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa drew the attention of President Muhammadu Buhari to it about three weeks ago.
It added that the personal interventions of Buhari and Dabiri-Erewa, got freedom for Zainab and Abubakar, who were arrested for drug trafficking in Saudi Arabia. The offence carries a death sentence.
The report was greeted with mixed reactions on social media.
Remember when I told you guys that @abikedabiri was interested in Geoffrey Onyeama’s Foreign Affairs job and has started poking her nose in his portfolio? Well, she has also raised an online Army to subtly discredit the man.
??? https://t.co/kYkG5OekoH— Mr Stanley Nwabia (@MrStanleyNwabia) May 2, 2019
This is a failed attempt to rubbish the foreign affairs minister in a bid to pave way for @abikedabiri who has done nothing concrete in the last three years aside using Zainab to climb the ladder and it will fail. https://t.co/myV48ecEyY
— Award Winning Wife (@bimbo_cash) May 2, 2019
I agree but him being slightly better than that clown called Bayo Shittu and Minister of FCT but surely Nigeria’s foreign affairs deserves better https://t.co/mVV1JLnOzo
— Daddy D.O?? (@DOlusegun) May 2, 2019
Meanwhile the Foreign Affairs ministry has reacted to the report by issuing a statement that its silent diplomatic efforts in the past few weeks culminated in the release of Zainab Aliyu and Ibrahim Abubakar arrested by Saudi authority for drug related offence.
The ministry said this in a statement by its Acting Spokesperson, Mr Friday Akpan, on Thursday in Abuja
While explaining further its efforts on the release of the two Nigerians, the ministry stated that on receipt of the information on their arrest, the Nigerian Consulate in Jeddah intervened.
It stated that Nigerian Mission in Saudi then requested for full investigation to ascertain the innocence of Zainab Aliyu and Ibrahim Abubakar.
It stated that investigation documents were forwarded to the Nigerian Consulate in Jeddah to further support the innocence of the two Nigerians and also resolve the issue of luggage tag numbers.
According to the ministry, following these efforts, officials in the Consulate secured appointment and met with the Director General of the Saudi Foreign Ministry, Jeddah.
It said that the DG then requested the official in the consulate to forward the NDLEA report to all concerned Saudi agencies with a view to releasing Zainab Aliyu and Ibrahim Abubakar.
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