Young Nigerian footballer Chijioke Stephen Obioha was this morning executed in Singapore, after the Court of Appeal dismissed a motion filed by his lawyer yesterday.
Obioha arrived Singapore eight years ago for football trials with an unnamed club, but was arrested by anti-narcotics officials for been in possession of hard drugs.
The graduate of the University of Benin in Nigeria, also had on him keys to an apartment where hard drugs are kept, which lead to the authorities to pronounce him guilty as charged.
“This morning, at 6am, the execution of Chijioke Stephen Obioha took place. I am not even sure if his family from Nigeria were able to attend. Soon it will be all forgotten together with Chijioke’s name, but for the many of us who fight and campaign to eradicate this barbaric practice of death by hanging, and for those of us who challenge the mandatory death penalty for drug trafficking in Singapore, our work will go on. And it must.” Anti-Death Penalty Campaign member , Mr Ravi posted on his Facebook wall
” I’m currently arranging with the Roman Catholic Prison Ministry ( RCPM) to claim the body of Chijioke from the Singapore Prisons Service for a proper funeral in accordance with his religious beliefs.The funeral will take place either today or tomorrow depending on how soon the SPS could release the body.
Will keep you posted”
