The Federal Government has applauded the exoneration of a Nigerian, Ibrahim Ibrahim, in Saudi Arabia, who was exonerated on Thursday after three previous court trials and acquittals on allegations of drug trafficking.

Ibrahim, who was sponsored by the Zamfara State Government to perform Urmah in 2017, was arrested on arrival in Jeddah, for alleged drug trafficking.

He was subsequently tried and was exonerated by three courts in Saudi Arabia but the Prosecutor General ordered the retrial of the case.

However, based on presidential directives, the Attorney General of the Federation, in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Consulate General in Jeddah, intervened in the matter to establish and uphold the innocence of Ibrahim.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman, Ferdinand Nwoye, in a statement on Friday, further explained that Ibrahim was released following diplomatic and legal consultations by the ministry.

The statement further noted that “the Consulate General of Nigeria in Jeddah has completed the processing of relevant travel documents to enable and facilitate his return to Nigeria.”