Federal government makes clemency plea for Nigerians sentenced to death for drug trafficking in Indonesia

The Federal government made a move yesterday March 9th to stop the execution of three Nigerians in Indonesia over their involvement in drug trafficking offenses, a crime that attracts death sentence in Indonesia. At a meeting with the Indonesian Ambassador, Harry Purwanto, in Abuja yesterday March 9th, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mr Danjuma Sheni,  appealed to the Ambassador to help prevail on his government to convert the death sentences to Life imprisonment as well as expedite action on the exchange of prisoners between both countries.

"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. I am also to use this occasion your Excellency to appeal to you on the need to quickly complete the ongoing exchange of prisoners negotiations that we have with your country. We wish that this be completed on time so that our nationals who may be caught up there would have their opportunity to serve their sentences in Nigeria" he said

In his response, the Indonesian Ambassador says his country still recognizes the death penalty for drug related offenses having made it known that engaging in drug trafficking into Indonesia is risking ones life even before coming into Indonesia

"We still recognize the death penalty in our criminal justice system in some serious crimes including terrorism and Narcotics and some other things. We do apply these executions to those who are adults and we will not apply it on children or pregnant women or mentally ill persons and we have already made this known that doing this trafficking of narcotic in Indonesia is risking your death penalty before even coming into Indonesia" he said.