Singapore on Friday executed one Chijioke Stephen Obioha, convicted of drug trafficking, after the country’s apex court rejected his final appeal.
Obioha was arrested on April 9, 2007 with more than 2.6 kilograms of cannabis, surpassing the statutory amount of 500 grams presumed as drug trafficking in Singapore.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, who described the execution as heartbreaking, reiterated her appeal to Nigerians to avoid drug peddling in their host countries as laws of countries, whether acceptable or not, will be difficult to influence.
She said, “While we regret the death sentence passed on the Nigerian, we once again appeal to Nigerians to avoid crimes like drug trafficking with most countries especially in Asia declaring zero tolerance for drug trafficking.
Ravi MRavi, an activist with Eugene Thuraisingam, a legal firm in Singapore, who posted the execution on his Facebook wall said it took place around 6am.
He wrote, “This morning, at 6am, the execution of Chijioke Stephen Obioha took place. I am not even sure if his family from Nigeria were able to attend. Soon it will be all forgotten together with Chijioke’s name, but for the many of us who fight and campaign to eradicate this barbaric practice of death by hanging, and for those of us who challenge the mandatory death penalty for drug trafficking in Singapore, our work will go on. And it must.
“I’m currently arranging with the Roman Catholic Prison Ministry (RCPM) to claim the body of Chijioke from the Singapore Prisons Service for a proper funeral in accordance with his religious beliefs.The funeral will take place either today or tomorrow depending on how soon the SPS could release the body.”
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