The Federal Government has lamented the execution of a Nigerian woman on Monday in Saudi Arabia for drug-related offences.
The government also condemned the action of four Nigerian citizens who were caught on video carrying out an armed robbery in Dubai, United Arab Emirate (UAE).
The Ministry of Interior of Saudi Arabia had announced that a female Nigerian drug trafficker and three other men: two from Pakistan and a Yemeni were executed on Monday for drug trafficking offences.
Monday’s executions bring to 53, the number of people put to death this year in the country.
Speaking with State House Correspondents on Tuesday, the aide to President Muhammadu Buhari on Diaspora matters, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, said the executed woman is the eighth to be executed for drugs related offences in the last three years in the oil-rich Kingdom. She also said 20 others are also in jail with death sentences hanging on their necks.
Mrs Dabiri-Erewa said 12 Nigerians are also in various Saudi Arabia jails serving different jail terms. The aide said some of those convicted might be innocent. She said the government found out that some airlines work with drug syndicates ”by putting banned substances in the luggage of some innocent Nigerians, especially pilgrims”.
“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 die for an offence you committed. “So 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.
“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.”
Meanwhile, Mrs Dabiri-Erewa described as disgraceful the arrest of five Nigerians, for allegedly robbing a bureau de change in Sharjah, the United Arab Emirates of about Dh2.3 million.
The men were caught on camera breaking into the bureau de change and smashing the glass barrier between the customers and the staff before they stole the money and fled.
Mrs Dabiri-Erewa, said the men were a disgrace and an embarrassment to Nigeria and their families.
She listed their names of the armed robbers as Chimuanya Emmanuel Ozo, Benjamin Nwachukwu Ajah, Kingsley Ikenna Nwonka, Toochukwu Leonard Arise and Chile Micah Ndumodu.
“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,” she said.
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