Abuja--The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has clarified that images circulating in the media purportedly showing the three Nigerian pilgrims recently released by Saudi authorities are false and unrelated to the victims.
In a statement issued on Thursday by its Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the Agency stressed that it has never released or published the photographs of the pilgrims, in line with global standards on human rights and the protection of victims' privacy.
"For the avoidance of doubt, the images currently in circulation are not those of the three Nigerians who were detained in Jeddah," Babafemi said.
He explained that the NDLEA deliberately refrained from disclosing their identities publicly to shield them from undue exposure and to allow them reintegrate into society without stigma.
While appreciating the role of the media in public enlightenment, the Agency urged journalists and platforms to exercise restraint and avoid the use of misleading or unrelated images that could compromise the dignity of innocent persons.
The clarification comes days after the Saudi authorities cleared and released the three Nigerians who had been wrongly detained in Jeddah.
