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 noted.
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.
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.”
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.
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