When he hosted the new Indonesian ambassador to
Nigeria, Harry Purwanto, two days ago at the
presidential villa, Pres. Goodluck Jonathan began
negotiations with him for a moratorium on three
Nigerians who are facing imminent execution in that
country.
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.-
Declan Anosike |
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