A Nigerian identified as Chijoke Obioha has been reportedly executed in Singapore over drug trafficking offence.

Reports say he was executed at about 6am on Friday morning after being caught in April 2007 and sentenced to death based on the stringent capital punishment on those who violate the laws of the land.

He was arrested with more than 2.6 kilograms of cannabis, surpassing the statutory amount of 500 grams presumed as drug trafficking in Singapore.

Nigeria’s federal government has also reacted to the execution of the Nigerian in the foreign country, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the special adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on foreign affairs and diaspora, stated that the Singaporean government’s decision will be difficult to influence.

A statement issued after the incident reads: “While we regret the death sentence passed on the Nigerian, we once again appeal to Nigerians to avoid crimes like drug trafficking with most countries especially in Asia declaring zero tolerance for drug trafficking.”

All efforts by the Amnesty International (AI) to halt the execution of the man was vehemently rejected by Singapore.

According to Amnesty International’s Director for South-East Asia and the Pacific, Rafendi Djamin: “The Singapore government still has time to halt the execution of Chijoke Stephen Obioha.

“We are dismayed that clemency has not been granted in his case, but remain hopeful that they won’t carry out this cruel and irreversible punishment against a person sentenced to the mandatory death penalty for a crime that should not even be punished by death.

“The death penalty is never the solution. It will not rid Singapore of drugs. By executing people for drug-related offences, which do not meet the threshold of most serious crimes, Singapore is violating international law.”