At least 23 Nigerians are on the death row in Saudi Arabia for “drug-related offences”, The Nation is reporting.

Citing a document, the newspaper said the Nigerians were convicted for contravening the narcotic and psychotropic substances control law, which is punishable by death.

They were said to have been arrested between 2016 and 2017 at King Abdul-Aziz International Airport, Jeddah and Prince Muhammad bin Abdu- Aziz International Airport, Madinah having concealed the banned substances in their rectums.

The names of the convicted persons were given as

Adeniyi Adebayo Zikri
Tunde Ibrahim
Jimoh Idhola Lawal
Lolo Babatunde
Sulaiman Tunde
Idris Adewuumi Adepoju
Abdul Raimi Awela Ajibola
Yusuf Makeen Ajiboye
Adam Idris Abubakar
Saka Zakaria
Biola Lawal.
Isa Abubakar Adam
Ibrahim Chiroma
Hafis Amosu
Aliu Muhammad
Funmilayo Omoyemi Bishi
Mistura Yekini
Amina Ajoke Alobi
Kuburat Ibrahim
Alaja Olufunke Alalaoe Abdulqadir
Fawsat Balagun Alabi
Aisha Muhammad Amira
Adebayo Zakariya.
This is coming a few weeks after the Saudi authorities executed Kudirat Afolabi for drug trafficking and Saheed Sobade, another Nigerian, reportedly nabbed with 1,183 grams of cocaine powder in Jeddah.

Defending the stance of the kingdom of drug trafficking, Adnan Mahmod Bostaji, Saudi ambassador to Nigeria, said sentences are only administered when there is evidence.

He insisted that the country’s legal system is transparent and fair. Bostaji said that about 1.5 million Nigerians live in the country and are engaged in legitimate businesses.

He said that they are not subjected to any form of molestation.

May God help His people