Emmanuel Ihejirika, a Nigerian man sentenced to death for drug trafficking in Indonesia, has been freed after spending several years in prison.
The news of his release was disclosed by Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), in a statement on Friday through the organization’s spokesman, Gabriel Odu.
Ihejirika’s release was made possible through the efforts of Emmanuel Isha Ogebe, a Nigerian lawyer based in Washington D.C., who took up his case pro bono.
Dabiri-Erewa, speaking after a meeting with Ogebe in Washington D.C., lauded the lawyer for his selflessness and dedication in handling the case.
Years earlier, a Nigerian delegation led by the former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Ojo Madueke, and including Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, who was then a member of the House of Representatives, and former NDLEA Chairman Mr. Ipinmosho, visited an Indonesian prison to plead for clemency on behalf of 21 Nigerians sentenced to death for drug trafficking.
Despite their efforts, four of the convicts, alongside an Indonesian and a British citizen, were executed.
Ogebe later reached out to Dabiri-Erewa to request her intervention in Ihejirika’s case, which appeared to involve mistaken identity.
Ogebe offered his services for free and took the case to Indonesia’s Supreme Court, where Ihejirika was eventually exonerated and freed.
Dabiri-Erewa emphasised the severe consequences of drug trafficking in Indonesia, where the penalty is death, and urged Nigerians to avoid criminal activities.
She also commended Ogebe for his remarkable contribution and thanked the Nigerian Charge D’Affaires in Indonesia, Ms. Patricia Alechenu, for her unwavering support throughout the case.
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