When President Goodluck Jonathan hosted the new Indonesian ambassador to Nigeria, Harry Purwanto, two days ago at the presidential villa, he began negotiations for a moratorium on three Nigerians who are facing imminent execution in Indonesia.
President Goodluck Jonathan receives Indonesian ambassador to Nigeria, Harry Purwanto |
The three Nigerians are Silvester Obiekwe Nwolise (39), Okwudili Oyatanze (40), and Spanish born Nigerian Raheem Agbaje Salami (45). They are facing execution alongside six other foreign nationals for drug-related offences by the Indonesian authorities.
Indonesian president, Joko Widodo, rejected pleas for clemency, saying the country is suffering a drug emergency and already, Indonesia’s attorney-general, Muhammad Prasetyo, says preparations have been concluded at the execution site were they are to face a firing squad.
It is unclear when the execution will take place, but yesterday, Australian Andrew Chan (31), his country man, Myuran Sukumaran (33), Agbaje Salami, and Mary Jane Fiesta Veloso (30) from the Philippines were moved to Nusakambangan, a high security prison island where executions are conducted.
Other countries with nationals to be executed are Brazil, France and Ghana.
At the meeting in the presidential villa where Indonesian ambassador Purwanto submitted his letter of credence, President Jonathan pleaded with the Indonesians for clemency for the Nigerians who were nabbed running drugs, while in prison.
According to a source at the presidential villa who spoke anonymously because he is not authorised to speak on the matter: “The president met with the Indonesian delegation and was quite persuasive in making the case that a moratorium be placed on the execution of the Nigerians on death row.”
The source however said that the government is not coming out to make statements or make a show about its efforts in trying to ensure that the lives of the Nigerian citizens are spared because “in this political season, if anything goes wrong during the negotiations, opponents of the president would not consider the efforts put in and will simply make a meal out of the issue.”
Other countries, and even Amnesty International, have been pleading with the Indonesian government to not go ahead with the planned execution. Brazil postponed accepting the credentials of Indonesia’s newly designated envoy in protest, while Australia called for a ‘reciprocation’ of the $1 billion 2004 tsunami aid package by sparing the lives of its citizens.culled
OMG!...I pray the talks pull through...their families must be traumatized already!.....
Thank you Presido,I hope we get a feedback on this soon.
Negeriands??? Stella...lolz..Don't let me ring bell for u ooo
ReplyDeleteShut up Typo error. Cover face
DeleteSee this small girl, u wan ting belle for stella? You don hear of that back slap wey dey make person repent before?
Deletering
DeleteHmmm drug matter. No comment.
ReplyDeleteHopefully they'll acknowledge our President on the matter. Didn't they deny that other country's plea for their citizens the last time? That they executed them anyway? Can't remember the country again jare
Australia.
DeleteNa today, leave matter for the gullible.
DeleteThis is something gmb would never do....one thing I know about gej is that he is a good man with a warm heart...I'm not a politician so I can't tell if he is a good president yet...as there Are various arguments as to time constraints etc...but for this coming election each candidate has his weaknesses and his strength ,I give it Jonah on dis one..tamper justice with mercy..,clemency.....,,Stella u must enjoy me
ReplyDeletePls ppl shd stop doing drugs,especially going to Asian countries with it
ReplyDeleteSo Thoughtful, My President. The world is with you against capital punishment, It is symbolic that Buhari executed 3 Young men in his own time for the same drug issue and here you are trying to save them. You are forgiving, we forgive you too... May they not kill those boys. Amen! Spot the difference....
ReplyDeleteThey should stop doing drugs. Is dat too much to ask? Ha!
DeleteMR EDDY said this heat wan kill person o.
ReplyDeleteI hope other Nigerians will learn from this.
^
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^™THAT EDO BOY.COM~
wow a welcome development even if it is coming late I pray their president listen to this
ReplyDelete#GODWIN
If only Nigeria had a President like GEJ, BARTHOLOMEW OWOH (26),
ReplyDeleteLAWAL AKANNI OJULOPE (30) AND BERNARD
OGEDEGBE (29), wouldn't have died unjustly in that dictatorship era of Bokohari.
@ Tony I taya to rap today. hahahahahaha. Gej is a better Option
DeleteTony, I guess you've forgotten that Nigeria has a president like Jonathan already. For the past 6 years, and hundreds of thousands have died without him giving a care in the world about them. Stop being foolish
DeleteTony look evil in the face and call it evil. Drug peddling is bad in every country and nothing can change that.These people are fully aware that drug peddling in Indonesia carries the capital punishment and yet they indulged in it. GEJ trying to plead on their behalf is not an achievement to me cos they r guilty. What has GEJ done about Tyler's case and tens of other similar cases that happened in different countries? Pleading on behalf of convicted criminals will only make more pple go into drug peddling believing that the govt will plead on their behalf when they r caught.
DeleteThank u Ada Mazi, this is definitely not an achievement. Atleast these r not innocent lifes, y plead for dem. What about the pple who have been dying right under our nose. Rubbish
DeleteAfter this, will they stop the drug business in Asia? Naija in Asia no dey hear word.
ReplyDeleteYou dey correct person u no see yrsef.
ReplyDeleteIndonesia always execute drug offenders,I pray they listen to our president this time around
ReplyDeleteI so detest this man they've been killing Nigerians abroad for ages even recently . What did he do ?!! Nothing . Cos election is round the corner he's using this to garner support . I will Neva support him . Yeye man . Imbecile .
ReplyDeleteVery funny.
ReplyDeleteNa now dem wake up.
Australia that funds Indonesia has been negotiating for ages, no luck.
Drink Sniper for GEJ.head. He negoitated too for those two pple that was killed. Can buhari ever do it? Mscheew. All of u wai dey talk rubbish here
DeleteThis is the first time GEJ is actually making a move on behalf of Nigerians in d diaspora.....Till date, nothing was done by our government on the Tyler Perry's case despite his mum's pleas and cries to the government. So many other stories like Tyler's story and nothing was done. Now this.......should i say its still part of the "election syndrome"?
ReplyDeleteI hope the Indonesian government show them mercy.....but I really do not pity them. Why commit a crime you know that IF u're caught, d penalty is a death sentence? Even the money they were so looking for.....will they be able to get it now that their freedom has been taken.....not to talk of if they are killed? I hope people will weigh the advantages and disadvantages of their actions before executing it.
I am sure stories of Buhari did this and that will come up......but what we dont know is....sometimes a radical approach is needed to put an end to some things. For example, if kidnappers and assassins are killed when they are caught, the stories of kidnaps and assassinations will reduce drastically, if not wiped out completely. But because these people know that nothing will be done if they are caught and even their god-fathers will bail them if arrested, they fear no one and continue in their bad acts.
All the same I still love GEJ.....but the truth has to be told.
Some countries are just plain wicked!
ReplyDeleteNothing will make the Indonesian Government change their mind. If only my Igbo brothers will learn from the mistakes of others and stop doing drugs. I feel so bad for them. Anyway, may God's will in their lives be done.
ReplyDeleteNice move. Check out here for sports news
ReplyDeleteWhen wrong is not atoned for evil prevails so justice should be served to all offenders regardless of status otherwise evil will not cease. If you dont want to be executed do drugs where they dont have capital punishment.
ReplyDeleteReuben Abati at work.
ReplyDeleteThe truth be told.they are as good as dead.they knew the penalty for drugs before they took their decision.if you can't do the time ,don't do the crime.now they have wait for their turn
ReplyDeleteMake them give them life imprisonment nah, na just to sell small tey feed and carry runs. They didn't kill anyone like our Nigeria leaders and some pastors wen dey do human trafficking and dey distributes disease to their wives. Child molester pastors and senators.
ReplyDeleteI don't like capital punishment.
#justsayingyesisaidit.
The truth is the penalty for drugs in indonisia ,malaysia,singapore and china is death,the truth we dont know about Nigeria is that GEJ can make indonisia an offer they cant refuse .
ReplyDeleteNigeria is one of the richest nations in the world .