The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Kudirat Afolabi

  • How executed Nigerian smuggled drugs into Saudi Arabia -Presidency

    The Federal Government said yesterday that drugs was hidden in the body of Kudirat Afolabi, who was executed in Saudi Arabia on April 1.

    It said Afolabi was among the 20 persons arrested with drugs hidden in their body parts.

    The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Relations and the Diaspora, Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, told the  News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the clarification became necessary in a bid to clear the air regarding the circumstances leading to the execution of the Nigerian.

    Afolabi was executed alongside two Pakistani men and one Yemeni man, bringing the total number of people killed by Saudi Arabia this year to 53.

    There had been attempts, especially in the social media, to link Afolabi’s fate with the activities of alleged syndicates operating at Malam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano.

    Read also: Saudi Arabia: due process followed before execution of Nigerian

    The syndicate allegedly specialises in planting drugs in the baggage of unsuspecting travelers.

    Abike-Dabiri, however, said Afolabi did not belong to the list of seven who are suspected to have fallen victim of the four-man gang hard drugs planting syndicate.

    “There are some people caught in Kano, but those they allegedly gave the drugs to are yet to face trials in Saudi.

    “What we can now do is to prevail on the Saudi authorities  that those people awaiting trials in their country are among the victims of the Kano syndicate.

    “If Nigeria can do this, through National Drugs and Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Nigerian mission in Saudi Arabia, they might not even be charged to court.

    “Ms Afolabi was one of those drugs were found in their bodies. They were 20 in number. They are the ones on the death roll, as drugs were found in their bodies, including their private parts.

    “In their case, the Saudis do not appear to waste so much time on them. What is on social media that the lady could have been saved was incorrect.

    “There was no way we could have done that. She was found with drugs in her body; just like the other 20,” the presidential aide said.

    She, however, pointed out that in the case of those awaiting trials, the NDLEA can work with the Nigerian mission in Saudi to save them.

    “Who knows, maybe if the NDLEA forward their information to the Saudis that some of these people might be innocent of the crime, they might not even go on trial.

  • Execution of Nigerian woman in Saudi: FG not to blame – Ministry

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has refuted the report that it ignored the call for intervention over Mrs Kudirat Afolabi, a Nigerian woman, executed in Saudi Arabia for drug trafficking.

    The ministry in a statement by its Spokesperson, Sarah Sanda, on Friday in Abuja, said the report in one of the media was a complete falsehood.

    “The attention of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been drawn to a tendentious, mischievous and libelous article over the matter

    “It alleged that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the minister were somehow responsible for the death of a Nigerian lady, Ms Afolabi, executed in Saudi Arabia for drug trafficking, by not reacting immediately to letters addressed to the minister by the former Consul General, informing of the imminent execution of the lady in question.”

    She said that the attention of the ministry was drawn to what she described as a tendentious, mischievous and libelous article alleging that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the minister were responsible for the death of Afolabi.

    “This is preposterous and a complete falsehood. Clearly those behind the article who have deliberately distorted the facts have an agenda,” she said.

    Read also: Saudi Arabia: due process followed before execution of Nigerian

    The spokesperson said that the report which quoted extensively from a letter written by the said Consul General did not state that the lady in question, Ms Afolabi was about to be executed.

    She said that the letter rather states, “peddling of drugs into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia…..is punishable with death penalty.

    ” Unfortunately,  between 2016-2017 the underlisted Nigerians were arrested……for smuggling narcotic drugs concealed in their rectums.

    “They have since been sentenced to death and the sentences had already been carried out on some of them,” he said.

    She said the report then listed 24 Nigerians on death row or executed, including Ms Afolabi.

    According to her, the truth of the matter is that the a letter from former Consul General was received on Feb. 19 raising an alarm over the criminal acts at certain Nigerian airports.

    “The letter said officials at those airports allegedly smuggled drugs to Saudi Arabia by checking in bags using the details of unsuspecting passengers.

    “Immediate action was taken by the Minister by reaching out to the relevant Nigerian authorities,” she said.

    According to her, the issue regarding Nigerians on death row in Saudi Arabia has been a challenge for many years.

    “Over the last three years, the Minister and our Embassy in Saudi Arabia have relentlessly engaged the Saudi Government orally and in writing on the need to commute the death sentences of Nigerians on death row.

    “Whipping up primordial sentiments by casting irresponsible aspersions does an injustice to the memory of the deceased and to her family and friends,” she said.(NAN)

  • Presidency clears air on Nigerian executed in Saudi Arabia

    The Federal Government on Friday said that drugs was hidden on the body of Kudirat Afolabi, who was executed in Saudi Arabia on April 1.

    It said Afolabi was among the 20 persons arrested with drugs hidden in their body parts.

    The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Relations and the Diaspora, Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, disclosed this on Friday to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

    She said the clarification became necessary in a bid to clear the air regarding the circumstances leading to the execution of the Nigerian.

    Afolabi was executed alongside two Pakistani men and one Yemeni man, bringing the total number of people killed by Saudi Arabia this year to 53.

    There had been attempts, especially in the social media, to link Afolabi’s fate with the activities of alleged syndicates operating at Malam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano.

    The syndicate allegedly specializes in planting drugs in the baggage of unsuspecting travelers.

    Read Also: Saudi Arabia: due process followed before execution of Nigerian

    Abike-Dabiri, however, said Afolabi did not belong to the list of seven who are suspected to have fallen victim of the four-man gang hard drugs planting syndicate.

    “There are some people caught in Kano, but those they allegedly gave the drugs to are yet to face trials in Saudi.

    “What we can now do is to prevail on the Saudi authority that those people awaiting trials in their country are among the victims of the Kano syndicate.

    “If Nigeria can do this, through National Drugs and Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Nigerian mission in Saudi Arabia, they might not even be charged to court.

    “Ms Afolabi was one of those drugs were found on their bodies. They were 20 in number. They are the ones on the death roll, as drugs were found on their bodies, including their private parts.

    “In their case, the Saudis do not appear to waste so much time on them. What is on social media that the lady could have been saved was incorrect.

    “There was no way we could have done that. She was found with drugs on her body; just like the other 20,” the presidential aide said.

    She, however, pointed out that in the case of those awaiting trials, the NDLEA can work with the Nigerian mission in Saudi to save them.

    “Who knows, maybe if the NDLEA forward their information to the Saudis that some of these people might be innocent of the crime, they might not even go on trial.

    “But we must continue to move fast and in harmony, so that we ensure the innocent was not unjustly punished,” she said.

    NAN

  • FG condemns execution of Nigerian in Saudi

    The Federal Government has condemned the execution of a Nigerian national, Mrs. Kudirat Afolabi, widow and mother of two, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for drug related offences.

    The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Mustapha  Sulaiman, said this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.

    ”While Nigeria respects the sovereignty of states, and abhors the violation of domestic laws of any country, the government, however, does not condone such inhumane treatment being meted on a Nigerian national.

    ”It also frowns at the Saudi authorities for not informing the Nigerian missions in Saudi Arabia of the arrest and prosecution of the deceased Nigerian, only to invite the mission to take the last will of the deceased prior to her execution on April 1.

    ”The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, therefore, wishes to assure Nigerians that it has engaged the Saudi authorities through their Ambassador in Nigeria over issues related to Nigerians,” he said.

    He said this was to ensure that the normal diplomatic practice of informing missions of the arrests of nationals is adhered to, and that fair hearing is given to other Nigerians undergoing judicial processes in Saudi Arabia.