Nigerian Death-row Inmates And Their Stories.

Indonesian authorities last night executed eight people, including four Nigerians, convicted for drug offenses.They were killed by firing squad on Tuesday.read about them here





Sylvester Obiekwe Nwolise, Nigerian. Photo from The Jakarta Post/Asia News Network

Sylvester Obiekwe Nwolise, Nigerian
Nwolise, 47, otherwise known as Mustofa, was caught by the National Police’s narcotics directorate in 2003 for attempting to smuggle 1.2 kg of heroin into the country. He was found guilty by Tangerang District Court and was sentenced to death a year later.

Nwolise’s plea for clemency was rejected by Jokowi earlier this year.

Even after he was detained, he was repeatedly questioned by the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) for continuing to operate a drug ring from within the confines of prison.

On Nov. 27, 2012 he was found to have dealt drugs while in detention in Batu prison on Nusakambangan Island. A year later, he was found to be dealing again in Pasir Putih prison in the same prison complex.

He was returned from police custody to the Nusakambangan authorities on Feb. 26 and placed once more in Batu prison, but in an isolation cell.



Martin Anderson. Photo from The Jakarta Post/Asia News Network

Martin Anderson

Anderson, 50, was caught in 2003 at his lodging in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta, where the authorities found him to be in possession of 50 grams of heroin.

He was sentenced to death at his trial at the North Jakarta District Court, a sentence upheld by the Supreme Court in 2004.

In March, Anderson lodged a case review for the first time since his plea for clemency was rejected by Jokowi at the beginning of the year.

Anderson’s legal team sought to reduce his sentence by referring to a previous case, in which Nigerian death row convict Hillary K. Chimezie, who was caught with 5.8 kg of heroin, had his sentence reduced to 12 years. Anderson’s case review was dismissed by the judges as he had already asked for clemency, meaning that he admitted his guilt.


Okwudili Oyatanze, Nigerian. Photo from The Jakarta Post/Asia News Network

Okwudili Oyatanze, Nigerian

Oyatanze, 45, was apprehended by customs as he attempted to smuggle 1.15 kg of heroin from Pakistan. He was caught at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten, on Jan. 28, 2001.

He had been involved in the garment business in 1999, travelling to Indonesia to buy clothes and then reselling them in Nigeria.

The business collapsed, however, and Oyatanze became heavily indebted, forcing him to accept the job of bringing “a product” from Pakistan to Indonesia, which he claimed to have realized only later was heroin.

On Aug. 13 of that year, Tangerang District Court handed Oyatanze the death penalty and this was confirmed by the Supreme Court on Aug. 28, 2002.

Oyatanze’s application for judicial review was also rejected. He admitted to his crime and pleaded for clemency, which was eventually rejected by Jokowi on Feb. 5.


Raheem Agbaje Salami, Nigerian. Photo from The Jakarta Post/Asia News Network

Raheem Agbaje Salami, Nigerian
Salami, 42, was arrested at Juanda International Airport in Surabaya, East Java, in 1999 as he attempted to smuggle 5.2 kg of heroin. However, he claimed that his real identity was Jamiu Owolabi Abashin. He was sentenced to life in prison in 1999, which was reduced to 20 years on appeal. Prosecutors challenged the sentence at the Supreme Court, which in 2006 sentenced Salami to death.

He pleaded for clemency in September 2008 only to have it rejected by Jokowi earlier this year.