Drugs offences: Saudi Arabia executes 8 Nigerians in 3 years ― FG

AUTHORITIES in Saudi Arabia have executed eight Nigerians for drugs related offences in the last three years, the Federal Government has noted.

The latest of these executions was carried out on Monday involving one Nigerian woman, two Pakistani men and a Yemeni man.

Speaking to State House Correspondents in Abuja on Tuesday, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Diaspora, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, said 20 other Nigerians are on death row while others have been sentenced to various terms of imprisonments in the Middle Eastern country also for drugs related offences.

According to her, some airlines collaborate with drug syndicates to put drugs in bags belonging to unsuspecting pilgrims.

She said: “So, we have had cases where truly they didn’t commit the offence. We have appealed to the Saudi Authorities to make the trials fair, open and ensure that justice is done. Even if you are going to die, you will know that you died for an offence you committed.

“So, while we appeal to Nigerians going to Saudi Arabia, we know it is tough, obey the laws of the land. Even kolanut is treated as a drug. So, we will continue to appeal to the Saudi Authorities to treat some of the cases with some form of leniency.

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“As I said, we have 20 of them in Saudi, this is the eighth to be executed and we are hopeful that maybe we will be able to save the others.

“So, it is pathetic, it is tragic but we will continue to appeal to Nigerians to obey the laws of the land where you are. However, we expect the trial to be fair, open and ensure that justice truly is done because somebody is sentenced to death.”

The presidential aide also described as disgraceful the involvement of five Nigerians in the robbing a bureau de change in Sharjah of Dh2.3 million in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

They were arrested after being caught on camera smashing their ways into the office, stealing the money before fleeing the scene.

She named the men who she described as an embarrassment to the country, themselves and their families, as Chimuanya Emmanuel Ozo, Benjamin Nwachukwu Ajah, Kingsley Ikenna Nwonka, Toochukwu Leonard Arise and Chile Micah Ndumodu.

Dabiri-Erewa added: “These five boys are a disgrace to this country and an embarrassment. So if UAE decides to be hard on Nigerians then we will complain that they are hard on us. But we will continue to say that one bad apple should not spoil the whole bunch. Nigerians are hardworking, intelligent so these few should not spoil the whole bunch because this has made news all over the UAE now.

“We are going to continue to name those who disgrace the country anywhere in the world and we will continue to appeal to Nigerians to be good ambassadors wherever they find themselves.”