17 Nigerians on death row in Indonesia, says FG

Posted by admin Africa & World Politics, Headlines Saturday, May 19th, 2012

Seventeen Nigerians are currently on the death row in Indonesia, the Federal Government said yesterday.

They were convicted for various offences including drugs trafficking.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru, speaking at the 2012 Ministerial Platform to commemorate the first year of the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan, however said government had stepped in to get the death sentences commutted.

He also said the Nigerian Embassy in Indonesia is seeing to their welfare and has been monitoring the court proceedings.

According to him, the Federal Government always sends two delegations to go on tour of Malaysia, Indonesia and China where Nigerians are held in various prisons to ensure their welfare and well being.

He said: “What is good is good and what is bad is bad. Some Nigerians travelling abroad should please stop drug trafficking. We will work with civil societies, agencies and other bodies to educate Nigerians on it. The number we have on the death toll in Indonesia is 17 and we have been appealing to the government of Indonesia for clemency. We are still waiting.

“In fact, I have sent two delegations to go on tour of all the countries, Malaysia, Indonesia, China, where we are having Nigerians in prisons. They have gone round to see to their welfare and well being.

“We cannot support criminality. We need to enlighten our people. Nigerians should not carry drugs. They should not contravene the laws of the countries where they find themselves. We have many Nigerians doing very well in these countries,” he said.

The minister continued: “We are ready to defend any Nigerian treated unjustly. But you know there are some countries like Indonesia, according to their laws, if you carry drugs, it is death sentence. And you sit down in your house and plan how to carry the same drugs to this same Indonesia knowing full well that it is death sentence.

“I want to say here to Nigerians that the technology now available in all the airports in the world – you will be caught if you try to carry drugs.”

He also said that as a proactive measure, Nigeria has signed prisoner exchange or repatriation agreements with many countries, stressing that many Nigerian prisoners have refused to be repatriated to Nigeria.

-The Nationwp_posts