Alleged drug trafficking: NDLEA disowns purported photos of freed Nigerian pilgrims

By Ibironke Ariyo

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has photographs being circulated in the media purported to be those of Nigerian pilgrims arrested in Saudi Arabia for alleged drug offences, but released after it was discovered that they were innocent of the charges.

The NDLEA had announced the release of the three pilgrims by the Saudi Arabia authorities on Wednesday.

Femi Babafemi, the spokesperson for the NDLEA made said in a statement released on Thursday in Abuja that the photographs used to illustrate the story of the release of the Nigerian pilgrims were not authentic.

Babafemi affirmed that the pictures were not authentic.

The agency said it observed that following reports on the release of the three innocent Nigerian pilgrims by Saudi authorities, some media outlets had published unrelated images and presented them as those of the victims.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the images currently in circulation are not those of the three Nigerians who were detained in Jeddah.

“In line with globally accepted standards on human rights protection, privacy, and dignity of victims of such incidents, the agency deliberately refrained from publishing or releasing their photographs at any stage of its public communication on the matter,” he said.

The NDLEA spokesman explained that the decision was taken to protect the pilgrims from undue public exposure and to enable them to reintegrate into society without stigma.

He, however, said that the agency valued the role of the media as a vital partner in information dissemination and public enlightenment.

Babafemi, however, urged all news platforms to desist from using images that could misrepresent facts or compromise the dignity of innocent persons. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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