Senate To Summon Foreign Affairs Officials Over Zainab Aliyu’s Detention

The Nigerian Senate will later today, Tuesday, April 30, summon officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs over the detention of Zainab Habibu Aliyu in Saudi Arabia.

Our source reports that Miss Aliyu is a student, incriminated in drug-related matters and being detained by the Saudi Arabia authorities.

Recalls that President Muhammadu Buhari had directed Abubakar Malami, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice to immediately intervene in Miss Aliyu’s case.

A statement issued on Monday in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, by Abdur-Rahman Balogun, Media aide to Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Diaspora Affairs, said President Buhari gave the directive two weeks ago when the matter was brought to his attention.

“President Muhammadu Buhari gave the directive immediately the matter was brought to his attention about two weeks ago.

“My office has been working with the AGF as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in that regard”, the statement read in part.

Zainab Habibu Aliyu.

In a swift reaction, the Senate has moved to ensure Miss Aliyu’s release with its Committee on Foreign Affairs concluding plans to summon and engage the officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs over her detention.

Shehu Sani, a Senator representing Kaduna central at the Nigerian Senate, who made this known, said the committee is also interested in the Federal Government’s “concrete efforts to secure her release and others with similar cases.”

His words: “The Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, where I’m serving as the vice chair, Will Tomorrow summon and engage the officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs over the detention in Saudi of Zainab Habibu Aliyu and FG’s CONCRETE efforts to secure her release and others with similar cases,” Sani revealed.

The Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs,where I’m serving as the vice chair, Will Tomorrow summon and engage the officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs over the detention in Saudi of Zainab Habibu Aliyu and… https://t.co/IexTCBRi83

— Senator Shehu Sani (@ShehuSani) April 29, 2019