On Wednesday April 29,2015 at 12:01 Indonesian time 8 men including four Nigerians were executed for drug related offences despite world wide appeal that their lives be spared.
These men had been in jail for over 15years on death row and awaiting trial.
The Federal government of Nigeria has reacted and wants the corpses of the four men returned home......big joke if you ask me!
Read the press release and my piece of mind thereafter!
“The Federal Government of Nigeria has received with deep disappointment, news of the execution of four Nigerians, Messrs Martin Anderson, Okwudili Oyatanze, Jaminu Abashin and Sylvester Obiekwe by the government of Indonesia for drug-related offences. These executions have taken place despite spirited pleas for clemency made at the highest level by President Goodluck Jonathan, and more recently Ambassador Aminu Wali, Minister of Foreign Affairs, on April 21, during the 10th Anniversary of the New Asian-African Strategic Partnership Summit, which took place in Jakarta, Indonesia,
The Federal Government wishes to express its condolences to the families of the deceased. It has asked the Indonesian Government for the repatriation of the remains of the executed persons, so that they can be accorded decent burial in their various communities. The Federal Government seizes this opportunity to once again, warn all Nigerians to desist from drug trafficking and other offences that attract maximum punishment in several countries of the world. The Federal Government will continue to promote the welfare and protect the lives of Nigerians abroad, no matter their circumstances. Furthermore, government is committed to engage the government of Indonesia and other friendly countries regarding the conclusion of Prisoner Transfer Agreements and other bilateral means of safeguarding the interest and welfare of Nigerians.”
Who will give the men a befitting burial?Did their communities ask for their bodies?are they now supposed to be celebrated in death Judging from the fact that they were killed for breaking another country's laws?
Their families have not seen them for over 15years,is it not better to let sleeping dogs remain sleeping than to return their bullet riddled bodies to their families?
Who will take on the financial responsibilities of these burials?
Are these the first Nigerians that will be executed in Indonesian or in Asian countries for drug related offences?Answer is NO.
Did the Federal government ask for the bodies of the other ones?Answer is NO.
So why these four?
Why not call back the foreign envoy attached to Indonesia?that will/might make more impact!
They are dead and gone,failed by their Country when they were alive,Nobody stood up for them,not in the over 15years that they were in jail!..Hisss!
The federal government should spend time finding out if there are more Nigerians in Indonesian goal and find out how they can negotiate their releases abeg...leave propaganda alone!..This is my opinion and i stand by it!
RIP to the executed men!
Nigeria too dey mumu. What's the meaning of this?
ReplyDeleteNo need naaa
DeleteWetin dey wan use the corpse do.
They should let them to rest in peace.
What a senseless request!
DeletePoint of correction Jayem,its Gej wey too dey mumu.his advisers are dumber,so I don't know who will help d other!
I am a bit disappointed in some of the comments made. If other countries could not get their citizens not to be executed what made y'all think FG didn't plead for clemency on their behalf. The point is don't take drugs to their country or anywhere for that matter. Even Abike Dabiri said they visited a few years ago and there were 21 people on death row. Bringing their bodies back to Nigeria won't help anybody.
Deletestella,
ReplyDeleteYou are too emotional/sentimental.
No one haas the right to go to another country, break their laws and think their own countries have the right to bail them out of the situation.
It is what it is.
Stella,dere s Alwayz a diff case n moreover,ve knwn abt deir case 4 lik a year nw abt aw d FG av bin appealing 4 dem.dey ar stil nigerias no matter what n if dere case has sparked so much attention in d world,d least d FG can do 4 dem s wat dey ar askin 4.#myonecent
DeleteWhat is this one saying. Did she endorse what they did.
DeleteWell, the federal government of Nigeria as well as the other countries involved tried their best, but were not honored by the Indonesian government. I guess they stood by their principle till the end. We can't fault them, really.
DeleteAfter the bid to seek clemency was refused, there was nothing anyone could have done to salvage the situation. Majority of the world is embittered about this. And as a result, the Australian government and the others withdrew their ambassadors from their country to further express their disdain. I guess the Nigerian government is following suit. it's painful but what could our government have done other than to plead their case, which was clearly dishonored.
I presume that because the Australian government have requested that the remains of their citizens be flown to them, is the reason ours is seeking their bodies too, I don't know, but it seems to be the case.
The relatives of the deceased guys I'm certain would rather have closure to this... closure for some can be that the body remains in Indonesia, while some may wish to have theirs back home. If they have the wherewithal to go through the stress, it is their prerogative. But if our government is the one pursuing this by using the country's fund to afford their return, then I consider it a waste. They didn't die heroes or as soldiers at the war front for Nigeria, so it shouldn't be an elaborate issue..as it is quite embarrassing.
Even if the family insists, what if they don't have a body to bury, won't they perform a ceremony according to their tribe or religion in absentia, rather than go through the stress of bringing them home? Considering the circumstances through which they have died?
Will have to agree that it doesn't make sense jare. It doesn't make financial and emotional sense if u asked me. They had been behind bars way too long, some of them may not even have any family that aligned with them till death. Some of their relatives here may have even forgotten them, while some may be too ashamed to be associated with them dead or alive. So I don't understand the hassle
Yes Stella can be emotional sometimes as with all human beings but she's right on this one. Let sleeping dogs lie, the men are dead already and probably buried sef. Does fg want Indonesia to exhume their bodies or what? Abeg they should end matter and look for something serious to do to Indonesia even if it's for just a short while like recall something something.
DeleteOur Nigerian youths that want sharp money, you people will not work you want the sharp sharp way, if una go hear make una hear! Hard and smart work pays not all this get rich fast scheming.
Rip to the dead men
They deserve to b buried in der motherland. It's not a thing to celebrate so no expenses shud be involved.
DeleteWhy plead a case when you know the extant law of the country. it's painful but the law of the land is Paramount to most Asian country, the Australian government is privy to it, so what they did was playing to the gallery.
DeleteComments shld be brief,stella u are correct,when they were alive,FG did nothing,wats now d difference?
DeleteMEDICINE AFTER DEATH!! SINCE WHEN HAS FG PAID FOR REPATRATION OF CORPSES? IN ANY EVENT, THEY HAVE ALREADY BEEN BURIED, HAVENT THEY? ABI THEY WANT TO EXHUME CORPSE AS WELL? FG SHOULD CONCENTRATE ON ENLIGHTENING ITS CITIZENS ON THE DANGERS OF DRUG TRAFFICKING TO ASIA AND ITS RESULTANT DEALTH PENALTY
ReplyDeleteMEDICINE AFTER DEATH!! SINCE WHEN HAS FG PAID FOR REPATRATION OF CORPSES? IN ANY EVENT, THEY HAVE ALREADY BEEN BURIED, HAVENT THEY? ABI THEY WANT TO EXHUME CORPSE AS WELL? FG SHOULD CONCENTRATE ON ENLIGHTENING ITS CITIZENS ON THE DANGERS OF DRUG TRAFFICKING TO ASIA AND ITS RESULTANT DEATH PENALTY
ReplyDeleteFailed by their country you said? How if i may ask? They broke another country's law and they were made to bear the consequence. The Federal govt.did their best,but the rule of law prevailed at last...We should encourage people to be law abiding no matter the situation they find themselves.
ReplyDeleteRIP to the dead.
Stella, abeg stop this thing. You think cos they are criminals, their family won't want to give them decent burial. Must we criticize every move of d federal govt??? They did the right thing by asking for their bodies. Failed by their country, u say! Did d country ask them to commit d crime? You do the crime and do the time. No country failed dem! They should return their bodies to their families.
DeleteThey think it's Nigeria where u break the law and u bribe ur way through, am not happy abt the execution but it's what it's...Nigerians should learn how to abide by other countries law as them no respect our own na outside dem go teach them#gm all
DeleteFailed by their government how?
DeleteFor your info,federal government just revealed that more Nigerians are in jail there. You think they are not doing their job in negotiations? About 18 Nigerians or so are still there either waiting for trial or firing squad!
Or FG would have broken into the high security prisons to rescue them?
Let me tell you something Stella,even if FG offered an exchange of their citizens here on death row for the lives of those 4, Indonesian Government will never hear of it.. Do you even know how serious this drug problem is over there?
Do you know how many countries pleaded with Nigeria not to sign the anti Gay bill? Did we listen?
Enough of the blame game please! I truly sympathize with these men...and if asking for their corpse will make the families happy, yep!! Let them exhume them,and fly them home... shebi dem no dey listen to abeg? Let them freakin go to that creek and exhume them one after the other!
Iphie I read your comment and I went back to read Stella's comment you guys are saying the same thing na.
DeleteI support FG asking for the Bodies of the executed ones, with that their families with have closure. Nigeria Govt should call back their Ambassador and ask all Nigerians to return.
DeleteChinyelu, please get real. Did Nigerians come back from South Africa? Wetin concern the ones making money in Indonesia with light and facilities concern Nigeria. Abeg Nigerians overdo at the wrong time. When everyone was protesting, none of you could talk its now that it's on the news that you are here talking.
DeleteWhat Nigerians are doing in Indonesia Is what I'm yet to understand. Nigeria is by far better than that country. I don't get it.
DeleteIts a pity...their greed led them to their death!
ReplyDeleteIf I mat ask, which greed? Shey greed is when someone has, usually in abundance but keeps looking for more, did they have? Abi you didn't read their story?
DeleteI'm not in support of what they did and I'm a believer of smart work pays but leave matter for Matthias abeg
Hian!!!
ReplyDeletewhy will d FG go against d victims wish? 3 out of d 4 victims chose to be buried there. Let d FG pls respect their wishes as it will do no good to their families down here.
ReplyDeleteAbeg make una no vex, I want ask whether Nigeria dey return corpses of criminal Nigerians to their families for burial?
DeleteTake helep me ask them ooooo.
Delete*Ake*
DeleteSmh
ReplyDeletea.k.a EDWIN CHINEDU AZUBUKO said...
ReplyDelete.
May their souls RIP...
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***CURRENTLY IN JUPITER***
Stellau r wrong to say nobody stood up for them for the 15 years they were in jail. Abike and the then foreign affairs minister in 2008 made serious efforts for them but the indonesian govt insisted it was the country's laws to execute drug peddlers.according to Abike, the number of Nigerians on death row then was 21. The govt tried their best but then the Indonesian govt refused.
ReplyDeleteOn the issue of bringing back their bodies, if the family isn't complaining about the finances then I ssee no problem with that. At least it will afford them one last chance of seeing their faces again after so many years. In some cases, the family derives closure from that. Besides the Australians requested that their bodies shld be flown back home. The only issue there is the finance.
Where did Stella blame the government.
DeleteLovelace. Stella Blamed the govt in part. She said our govt failed them when they were alive, hence shouldn't ask for their body.
DeleteThey broke the law and paid the price, unfortunately many Nigerians will not learn from this. They won't even release the corpses so FG should swerve to the far left. I love the the Indonesia govt, they don't give a hoot when it comes to drug offenses
ReplyDeleteThe Indonesian govt will release their corpses if the victims requested for that before their execution.
Deletecalabar girl,stop dis rubbish. go back to your dead blog
ReplyDeleteAunty Stella stop being sentimental. Laws are Laws! Nigerians know the punishment for drug traficking in Indonesia and still go ahead to commit the crime. Please let's stop with the "Nigeria standing up for her citizens". Her citizens should learn to stop looking for quick money!!!! Despite this execution, there are still a lot of Nigerians still pushing drugs in Asian countries without remorse!.
ReplyDeleteWell said stella.
ReplyDeleteStella, they knew about the law plz. Stop being over emotional. They had every chance to say no to drug abuse. If we had a law as dis in our country, Nigeria would av been better. Even the bible said obey the laws of the land. They should be buried there.
ReplyDeleteOpening up Painful wounds if u Ask me.
ReplyDeleteBuh den again,its à popular belief that bereaved members have 'closure" when dey see and have d corpse to be mourned and consequently buried in deir homeland.as opposed on foreign soil.
Of course if d FG is Bringing d corpses back,den dey are footing d bill.
AnD if its wot d familles want,den so be it.
However we see it,its very Sad.
we are bn Failed everyday by our Govt.
A Sad reminder that Nigeria has to really wake up.
AnD may i reiterate that its cruel to take one's life.
More so,through Firing Squad.
Its morally wrong.its barbaric and its à SIN!
Keep resting u 4.
God Sees.He knows.
In this case, tgw, pls tell me how the country failed those people. Pray tell!
DeleteThe govt didn't send them on a mission. Hence, shouldn't be made to pay for their travel back. I don't know why u guys cannot remove sentiments from this and be logical. Ok let me say it clearly, those guys were criminals.. yes... they are not different from Anini and Oyenusi that faced firing squad na. I wish they were not killed, but eh, it has happened.
DeleteWhy go to a country that hates drugs and show no mercy.
ReplyDeleteThe best the government can do is they should repatriate the corpse for the family to bury and close the matter.
Government did no wrong in asking.
Stella, on the contrary nobody failed them. They took a risk which they know the cost of getting caught.
ReplyDeleteThis will serve as a lesson to others. If the govt had been able to stay their execution, am sure there will be an upsurge in the no of people trying to smuggle drugs to the country.
Indonesia purposely made this known to serve a small a deterrent to others.
Uhmmmmm
ReplyDeleteThis idiot anon !!! Stella is right their country failed them from birth till they died if u don't know . Where will their family get money for the burial ??!! Or anon will u pay for it from ur kunu bizness . Stella is too emotional ,ur very silly.
ReplyDeleteThank God we had other nationals that were killed. Is Australia not good enough a country that provides adequately for her citizens? Why did the Australians involved carry drugs? If we say naija is bad, I agree. What was their own excuse? Point is no matter how good a govt, you'll still find lawless people who'll want to blame something or someone for breaking the law. At any rate, there's no ignorance in law
DeletePple come to dis country and break our own law(even though we d makers of d law still break dem) and still live on here. I em not in support of what they did, but executing dem after plenty plea makes no sense. @federal government should rest abeg. In all of dis, I em so proud to be a Nigerian cos we r just too good compared to some yeye country.
ReplyDeleteNigeria is lawless please compare with somewhere else
Deletethey should leave them there cos Indonesia government killed so they should bury them
ReplyDelete#GODWIN
Shut up abeg what do u mean by their country failed them Nigeria has been intervening on their behalf for years but Indonesia is very strict duty drugs related crime at every corner u see the sign punishment for drug crime is death so don't come with that nonsense of their country failed them sounding like u excuse what they did abi u sef they carry drugs. B sounding like fish seller then just dash laptop and internet
ReplyDeleteQuestions for the gods.............Stella u must enjoy me
ReplyDeleteNo she doesn't
DeleteMay their souls continue to rest in peace.
ReplyDeletemy own take is that 3 out if the 4 corpses wanted to be buried there,why go against their wishes?
ReplyDeletecan the govt try to secure the release of d 21 left??
can nigerians ever learn? i bet you that someone is enroute another country with drugs as we speak.why cant nigerians learn for goodness sakes.why??
This is so sad.
ReplyDelete@Stella u re wrong, ur comment isn't right at all. Dey know d law concerning drug trafficking and yet they chose to do dt. Everybody in d world knew dt Asian countries re no go area for drug bc it's death penalty but yet ppl still do dt. Av u asked urself how many lives of young innocent teenagers dt had been destroyed bc of drugs? So de knew exactly what de re getting into n still did it anyways bc of quick money. From what I av read so far abt dis case, d fed govt or dia country didn't fail dem, but dey re d one's dt failed dia country. Av u asked urself y Nigerians are d largest number in dt crime, it's bc we always break d law, n its now a tradition in Nig to break law n no one punishes u dts y nig abroad also think dt dey will break oda countries law and still go scot free. So dey signed dia death warrant d day de took drugs to dt country, what happened now was after effect of dia disobedient to law.
ReplyDeleteTypical
ReplyDeleteWhat are they using their corpses to do? Why didn't they act 15 years ago when they were still in jail?
You want to bring more pain to their families.
These should be a lesson to Nigerian Government to treat their citizens right instead of looting public funds.
They should locate other Nigerians in Indonesian prison that are on death row and start negotiating their release or transfer to Nigerian prison.
Is Nigerian prison better?
XOXO MYSTERY
They cannot release them, they have to face the full wrath of the law. Federal government should pay more attention in educating the masses of the dangers of such illicit business. Those who wan hear go hear.
Delete*rme*
ReplyDeleteJust yesterday, I was telling someone that I won't be surprised if Nigeria demands for the corpses.
This country never seizes to be annoyingly predictable.
#WhiteDiamondOut
Stella, Nigeria government did not fail them biko, are they the only jobless people in Nigeria?
ReplyDeleteI think their quest for quick money cost them their lives. Nigeria government did what they could for them not to be executed but Indonesia government refused. What about the Australian citizen that was executed too?
They committed the crime and paid for it shikena!
Why will FG be asking for the return of their corpses!None of their family members has even said anything.This is so sad
ReplyDeleteStella, I don't agree with u on this. If u must know, the use of cocaine and heroine has ruined the life of so many people, both adults and youths alike. For the Indonesian govt to take this very harsh stand, u can imagine what these hard substances have done to their citizens. It's only a disciplined country and a country that cares about its people that will take this type of hard stand against drugs. It's a pity that Nigeria can't take this type of stand against hard drugs and co. You need to see the way these drugs are destroying peoples lives and rendering them useless. Come to abj and see what it's doing to young people, especially the rich kids, the ones that can't afford cocaine just settle for weed, Stella it's terrible. I really wish we can put d death penalty on whoever is caught with these substances, so that people will learn. It's just a pity that even with how hard these Asian countries are on the rules of drug trafficking, people stay commit such offence. It's a pity. RIP to d dead.
ReplyDeleteConvicts or not, they were human beings flesh and blood just like the rest of us with every right to the life their activities may have denied others. Capital punishment is wrong, denying anyone the right to life under the guise of state sanctioned murder is too much of a deterrent especially when the manner in which the sentence is carried out is considered. they deserve a decent burial Stella yes wounds will be opened but diplomatically how correct is it to let their bodies rot away in another country? Brazil has requested for their citizens remains and so has Australia then why not Nigeria? are we to show the whole world our disregard for sanctity of human life? to all those who beleive they got what they deserved what were you doind @ 7:15 pm on tuesday well ill tell you what 8 human beings who had a childhood, first loves, first heaartbreaks and all the normal life experiences you and i have experienced they were being marched to were all those experiences would mean nothing anymore and what made it right? it was sanctioned by the state ask yourself "what was i doing at the time?" watching TV, playing with my kid, shopping, someones kid somewhere was watching a barrel being loaded to pump him with hot lead. let them bring them home lets give them the dignity in death they were denied in life at least lets pretend to the world that we cared. I stand against the death penalty i stand against this barbarism #istandforlife #respectlife
ReplyDeleteAnd I don't think any of their families were there to see them for the last time. U think the federal government should have footed the bill for at least one representative for each family to be there with them at that time. So so sad, i don't want to see anything concerning this four again.
ReplyDeleteWhat is the FG planning to do with the dead bodies of fugitives?
ReplyDeleteThis one again. Define fugitive ? Biko no one here is a fugitive.
Delete@anon 12'56,*dead bodies of drug traffickers. U are welcome.
DeleteStella,sorry but u are NOT making any sense!!!
ReplyDeleteYour sentiments are d exact reason aother mofo will go and carry drugs tonight.ehn,shebi dem go beg
bullshit.
Like someone said,if u wan carry drugs,carry am to london where d worst u will get is life
The FG did not fail them, rather the 4 Nigerians failed our country by intentionally breaking the law of another country.
ReplyDeleteMay their souls find peace and their family be comforted.
I believe they were given the choice of burial before they were executed. It truly hurts and FG tried their best, but you cannot tell a leader how to run his country.
I hope many are learning from this...which I doubt, some will still behave like the hunter's dog who refuses to heed the whistle call of its master and followed a corpse to its grave!!
Nitty Gritty.
It's annoying how you guys don't understand what Stella meant by "failed by their country". I'm sure she's trying to say if Nigeria had provided the basic civic necessities like jobs, security and other basic amenities, people wouldn't have to leave in search of the proverbial greener pasture, talk more of doing something illicit in order to make ends. I don't fault Stella's ranting, it's on point. FG is just trying to save face with this action cos countless of its citizens have been executed abroad to its knowledge and it has never demanded for their bodies. It's obvious FG is taking this action cos of the uproar this issue generated around the world. The same FG that does nothing when it's citizens are murdered abroad now wants to act tough when criminals are tried and executed. Hypocrisy should be the motto of FG
ReplyDeleteMedicine after death
ReplyDeleteIs there provision in Federal budget for contingent repatriation? Hia...somebody wan embezzle money using names of the dead? naija....I raise yansh!!!!
ReplyDeleteStella Nigerians are a nuisance in most countries, as much as we bring development, we bring the pain. Let's be honest. I know our FG doesn't do enough on the foreign front but our boys at this moment will still take drugs to the strict countries. We no dey hear word.
ReplyDeleteBesides this is not propaganda Nne.
Stella pls remove the sunglasses u re wearing and face life.
ReplyDeleteit is illegal to traffic drugs even in Nigeria. in Indonesia, that offence attracts a life sentence. a sentence that has been like that for as long as I can remember. these guys failed themselves by thinking they wont die, govt wont allow em die cos all of them knew the sentence attached to drug trafficking.
a few days ago, some guys were caught at MMIA with incredible amounts of heroine. this will be sold to the already broken in society if they had gotten away with it.to further destroy an already destroyed life.
what are we teaching the kids in uni if the federal govt fights for the release of the 4? encouraging them to traffic cos FG is there to beg for you? or perhaps normalize the existence of drugs? as much as I feel bad for their families, I honestly believe in equity. we all have to be responsible for our actions.
NO GOVT FAILED THESE GUYS. THEY BROUGHT SHAME TO THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES AND THIS COUNTRY.
worse yet, theres news that one of them was still running things from jail. 2 of the were unremorseful and thank God that one was fully rehabilitated.
Biko go and RIP.
and if u see this and still decide to traffic drugs, then pls die quietly
all you saying they should fight for the release of the remaining 21 should know nothing can save them
ReplyDelete