Indonesia executes 3 Nigerians for drug trafficking

Three Nigerians including Michael Titus Igweh have been executed in Indonesia despite global appeal against the harsh sentence.

Igwe during his trial in an Indosian court

They were killed by firing squad after they were convicted for trafficking drugs, according to officials of the Indonesian government.

Nigerian Bulletin reports that the three Nigerians and one Indonesian were put to death after midnight on Thursday, July 28, according to Noor Rachmad, deputy attorney general for general crimes.

The report said the official was silent on 10 others slated to be executed but were not.

Those convicted are said to be from Nigeria, Pakistan, India and Zimbabwe and Indonesians and had been isolated at a prison island where the executions are carried out.

The report said authorities stepped up preparations with ambulances carrying coffins seen crossing over to Nusakambangan Island where the execution was to be carried out.

Daily Globe Watch also reports that President Joko Widodo believes Indonesia faces an emergency due to rising drugs consumption and as a result, he has strengthened the use of capital punishment to frustrate this.

 Since 2014, when he became president, his country has executed 14 convicts mostly foreigners.

In April 2015, the country executed eight drug convicts, including two Australians.

Igweh, during his last session in court, hadrevealed how Indonesian police electrocuted his genitals to force him to confess to possessing heroin.