There was outrage in Nigeria on Monday, April 1, when the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia executed a Nigerian, Kudirat Afolabi, over alleged drug-related offences. The outrage was fueled by a report claiming the federal government ignored the call for Ms Afolabi's intervention.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has, however, refuted the report in a statement by its spokesperson, Sarah Sanda, on Friday, April 12 in Abuja, describing it as a complete falsehood. Sanda 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.
Meanwhile, no fewer than 23 Nigerians are still on the death row in the kingdom, The Nation reports. The newspaper said it had access to a document listing 23 more Nigerians on the death row in Saudi Arabia.
According to the document, the Nigerians were found guilty of allegedly contravening the “Narcotic and Psychotropic Substances Control Law, issued under Royal Decree No. M/39 dated 8/7/1428AH and is punishable with death penalty.
