Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State has appointed the Islamic scholar, Alaramma Ibrahim Ibrahim who was billed for execution in Saudi Arabia for alleged drug trafficking, as Senior Special Assistant (SSA).
A statement issued by the Special Adviser to Gov. Matawalle on Public enlightenment, Media and Communication, Zailani Bappa said the Governor received the freed cleric at the government house shortly after his arrival into the county.
For nearly four years, Alaramma Ibrahim, a Zamfara State Cleric, faced a death penalty in Saudi Arabia, a trial that wrongly charged him with drug trafficking.
Hafeez Ibrahim was in Saudi Arabia in early 2017 to perform the lesser Hajj but was arrested by the Police shortly after he has lodged in his hotel room.
He was charged with the offence of drug trafficking following a bag full of banned substance linked to his passport details.
Abandoned by the then authorities who ought to have stood for him, he was found guilty in a lower Saudi Court and also in the upper Court.
He was to be announced guilty and sentenced when Governor Bello Mohammed assumed office last year.
The Governor then vowed to rescue the innocent Ibrahim as he sent a team of experts with the help of the Federal Government and appealed the case.
Matawalle employed a team of Saudi lawyers for Ibrahim who proved to the court that the said bag did not belong to Hafeez Ibrahim.
Ibrahim was finally acquitted early this year but could not return home due to restriction on international flights as a result of Covid-19.
According to the statement, “It was an emotional reception when Governor Matawalle handed him over to his waiting family who had their hearts in their mouths for nearly four years as their loved one cooled his feet in a Saudi Arabia gaol awaiting death sentence”.
“Governor Matawalle, who announced the appointment of Hafeez Ibrahim as one of his Senior Special Assistants, assured that his administration will continue to fight for the rights of citizens of the state wherever they are.
“He said that the travails of Hafeez Ibrahim is a lesson to all especially international travellers to be vigil and extra careful especially with their luggages” the statement added.
