Press Release
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has observed that in the wake of reports on the release of the three innocent Nigerian pilgrims by the Saudi authorities, some media outlets have published photographs of unrelated individuals and presented them as 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 incident, the Agency deliberately refrained from publishing or releasing their photographs at any stage of its public communication on the matter. This was done to protect them from undue public exposure, and enable them to reintegrate into society without stigma.
The Agency appreciates the role of the media as a vital partner in information dissemination and public enlightenment, and therefore urge all news platforms to refrain from using images that could misrepresent facts or compromise the dignity of innocent persons.
Femi Babafemi
Director, Media & Advocacy
NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja
Thursday, 18th September 2025
