[ 2012-10-15 ]

Sheik Nuhu Sharubutu, Chief Imam

Drug Baron Busted In Mecca
A member of the task force of Ghana’s Hajj
Council has been arrested in Saudi Arabia over
drugs.

Although the nature of the drugs was yet to be
ascertained, the Ghanaian suspect was still being
held for questioning by the Saudi authorities.

In recent times, the media in Ghana had been awash
with reports of Ghanaians being nabbed for drug
related offences outside the country.

Reports reaching DAILY GUIDE suggested that upon
the discovery of the banned drug in the medicine
chest of the Ghanaian medical team, the Saudi
officials asked for the owner, whereupon the Hajj
Council official (name withheld) claimed
ownership.

To ascertain the claim further, the Saudi
officials reportedly asked for ownership thrice
and received same number of confirmations.

After being satisfied about the true ownership,
the Saudi officials handcuffed the Ghana task
force member, at which stage the latter sought to
explain, but the Saudis were not ready for any
explanation, as they whisked him away.

Two ladies, who were also arrested for possessing
analgesics, were later released.

Saudis have a strict drug use enforcement code and
would not brook any default of their laws
regarding illicit drug importation into the
Kingdom.

Even personal drugs must be accompanied by a
medical officer’s authorization before pilgrims
are allowed to carry them into the Kingdom.

When DAILY GUIDE contacted Halidu Haruna,
spokesperson for the Hajj Council, he confirmed
the arrest but ruled out cocaine.

He could not establish what kind of drug it was,
except to explain that it was a form of
anaesthetic used to induce sleep and manage
fatigue.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he said, had
intervened and according to him, “the man could
be released today.”

Even kola is regarded as a drug in Saudi Arabia
and has been banned over the years, but because of
the high price it commands in the Kingdom,
consumed mostly by the migrant community, the
temptation by Ghanaian and Nigerian pilgrims to
breach the law is irresistible.

Every year large quantities of the stimulant is
seized and destroyed.

In spite of that however, there is no shortage of
it in the Kingdom as are narcotic substances.

Those arrested for possessing drugs are executed
under Saudi laws.

Chief Imam

In another development, the National Chief Imam
Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu has departed for the
Hajj but not without controversy.

He was said to have expressed reservations about
not being accorded the privilege of an entourage
and even threatened to disembark in protest, but
was prevailed upon not to do so, as this could
have negative repercussions on the NDC campaign,
DAILY GUIDE learnt.

Halidu Haruna dismissed this explaining, saying 11
visas had been issued for the cleric’s
entourage.

He particularly mentioned the name of Abdul Latif,
a close confidante of the Imam, as one of the
beneficiaries of the largesse.

When DAILY GUIDE reached out to the said Abdul
Latif, he denied that 11 persons had been provided
with the protocol arrangement as being put out by
the spokesperson.

According to him, the visa on his travel document
was for last year.

For him therefore, the Chief Imam was in Saudi
Arabia without any of his aides by his side as
convention demanded.

But the Hajj Council spokesperson said that the 11
persons offered the opportunity could still make
it, especially as according to him, arrangements
were being made to airlift the outstanding
pilgrims in town.

The perennial challenge of airlifting all pilgrims
appeared to be rearing its head again in this
year’s operations, as some of them showed signs
of frustration and had even concluded that they
would not be able to make it this year.

Although people had put the figure at over 500,
the Hajj spokesperson denied it, explaining that
it was 60 and that President John Mahama had
ordered the chartering of an aircraft to airlift
them today.

Alhaji Haruna explained that those stranded had a
visa problem emanating from processing anomalies.

Some flights, he said, were not full and went with
empty seats onboard because at the time of
departure, passengers were not around.

Some disappointed pilgrims had already left the
Hajj Village for their various homes, hoping that
next year they would be able to make it.

“We are working around the clock to get them to
go today. The President himself is involved,”
the spokesperson said.

This year had witnessed an unusual number of
protocol tickets, a reference to tickets doled out
as gratis to favourites of government. While some
had used the ticket themselves, others sold them
out for as low as $2500, considering it a largesse
from government as a “thank you” for
supporting it during the campaign.

Five thousand seven hundred Ghanaian pilgrims had
been airlifted so far to Saudi Arabia by the Egypt
Air carrier, each flight carrying 317 pilgrims.

Net 2 Television staff, who had gone to the Hajj
Village to cover the airlifting and the
accompanying challenges were assaulted by angry
persons thought to be NDC activists.

One of the aggrieved pilgrims, Rufai (not real
name), told DAILY GUIDE yesterday that “I am
disappointed at the developments. There is
corruption in the management of the Hajj and every
government which takes the mantle would suffer
similar challenges if the same people manage the
religious exercise.

“One of the female pilgrims has decided not to
go again after spending all her money. She claims
to have exhausted all her money and would find it
difficult managing herself in Saudi Arabia. One
woman who was shedding tears for the ordeal was
told by a Hajj Council official that the Hajj is a
calling and if one is not called, he or she cannot
make it. An Imam at the Hajj Village opposed this
saying that when a person pays for the flight he
or she must be airlifted,” Rufai said.

“We do not have washrooms, it is really tough.
We have been told to wait for our visas today and
we are keeping our fingers crossed,” he added.

Source - Daily Guide

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