FG begs Indonesia to spare the lives of Nigerians on death row

The Federal Government on Monday pleaded with the government of Indonesia to commute the death penalty passed on Nigerians in the country’s prison, to life imprisonment.

Foreign Affairs Minister Geoffrey Onyeama, made the plea in a joint communique issued at the end of bilateral meeting between the minister and Mrs Retno Marsudi his counterpart from Indonesia.

He said,

“on consular issues, Nigeria recognises the drugs emergency situation in Indonesia and pleaded for commuting death penalty to life imprisonment.”

This is not the first time that the government is pleading on behalf of Nigerians on death row in Indonesia.

Available report shows that FG had pleaded so many times for Nigerian on Death row in Indonesia. in May 2012, February 2013, March 2015 and more recently in July 2016 Nigeria sought for clemency for its citizens in Indonesia.

However all pleas fell on deaf ears as Indonesia always goes on to execute the Nigerians citing its strict policy on drugs.

There are about 50 Nigerians serving various jail terms for different offences in Indonesia with about 11 of them on death row

Human Rights organisation, Legal Defence and Assistance Project (LEDAP) had called on the federal government to boost its efforts in fighting for Nigerians on death row in foreign countries.

The organisation stated that no fewer than 300 Nigerians were currently on death row in prisons across Asian countries since 2016.