No Mercy: Nigerian Executed In Singapore For Drug Related Offence

SAN FRANCISCO, November 18, (THEWILL) – A 38-year-old Nigerian, Chijioke Obioha, has been executed in Singapore after being found guilty of drug trafficking.

According to reports from local media, the Straits Times, which quoted a statement from the country's anti-narcotics bureau, Obioha was hanged in Changi Prison early Friday morning alongside a Malaysian national who was convicted on separate drugs offenses.

THEWILL recalls that Obioha, a graduate of Industrial Chemistry from the University of Benin, was arrested in April 2007 after being found in possession of more than 2.6 kilograms of cannabis. The quantity surpassed the 500 grams threshold that triggers the automatic presumption of trafficking under Singaporean law.

Obioha, who moved to Singapore in 2005 seeking to join a football club, was found guilty in December 2008 and was sentenced to death by hanging. An appeal he filed was dismissed in 2010 while his execution came two days after he lost an appeal for clemency from the Singaporean government.

Amnesty International, which made serious efforts to overturn his death sentence, condemned the execution of Obioha saying it was in violation of international law.

“The death penalty is never the solution. It will not rid Singapore of drugs,” it said.

“By executing people for drug-related offences, which do not meet the threshold of most serious crimes, Singapore is violating international law.”

Story by Oputah David