The Federal Government on Monday, appealed to the government of Indonesia to convert the death by firing squad of some Nigerian prisoners in the country to life imprisonment.
The government did not state the actual number of Nigerians facing this death sentence, but some of them had cried out from jail in the country after the judgement was passed on them for drug-related offences.
Huhuonline.com understands that apart from two Nigerians killed by firing squad in January this year, three others, including one Raheem Agbaje Salami, have been pencilled for death for their involvement in drug smuggling.
To express its sadness over this unpalatable action of the Indonesian government, the Nigerian Federal Government summoned the country’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Harry Purwato.
At a meeting with Ambassador Purwato, in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city, Ambassador Danjuma Sheni, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, appealed for the conversion of the death sentence to life imprisonment, asking Purwato to appeal to his home government to tamper justice with mercy especially considering the robust and excellent relationship between Indonesia and Nigeria.
“Your Excellency, I have been asked to summon you to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to appeal to you to talk to your government about the proposed execution of three Nigerians, who are currently on the death row in your country,” Sheni said.
“As you know, your country and Nigeria have a very robust and excellent relationship and we do not intend that anything should happen to our relationship.
“We, in this context, are very aware of the consequences of drug trafficking in your country, but we still want to put it on record and we still want to appeal to you and to your President to tamper justice with mercy.
“We understand that the three condemned Nigerians have gone through the judicial processes and their appeals to the President have been turned down.
“We also understand, particularly, that one of them, Mr Salami, had been moved to an Island and that any moment from now, he may be executed.
“We want to appeal to you and through you to your government that this death sentence that may be carried out on Mr Salami any moment from now should be converted to life imprisonment,” he said while further urging the Indonesian envoy to fast-track the completion of the ongoing exchange of prisoners’ negotiation between the two countries so that Nigerians serving in the country could be transferred back to Nigeria to complete their jail terms.
“We wish that this be completed on time so that our nationals, who may be caught up there, would have the opportunity to serve their sentences in Nigeria.
“Some of our nationals are not on death row; they are in there for some other alleged crimes and we would wish that those who are willing and who wish to, would serve their sentences in Nigeria.
“So it is our wish as a country that we should complete this process immediately so that our nationals would avail themselves of that opportunity.
“Ambassador, we want to thank you coming in here but these are the words that my government has asked me to convey to you and through you to your own government,” he said.
In his response, Ambassador Purwato confirmed the relationship between his country and Nigeria adding that the legal issues relating to the prisoners were handled professionally while stressing that foreigners travelling to Indonesia always had information in advance concerning how the country’s government frowns at trafficking in narcotics.
He said this attracts the death penalty.
He said: “Indonesians attach great importance to their relations with Nigerians and we also like to further our excellent relations in things that can be felt directly by the people of these two countries.
“As you rightly said, permanent secretary, the death penalty in Indonesia is actually done in transparent, credible and accountable manner.
“We do apply these executions to those who are adults and we do not apply to children, pregnant women or mentally ill persons.
“Executions are done after strict and transparent due process of law by which also we know that it would have already passed the district, appellate and Supreme Courts.”
Though he said he would deliver the message from the Nigerian government, he however said Nigeria’s request for clemency was rejected.
