Eight Nigerians To Be Executed By UAE Unfortunate…Dabiri-Erewa

That eight Nigerians are to be executed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is unfortunate, says Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa.

The Nigerian were sentenced to death on Wednesday in Sharjah, UAE for a string of robberies at money exchanges and cash machines (ATMs) across the emirate in December 2016.

The issue has been stroking a mixture of anguish and criticism in the country, leading to a statement on Friday in Abuja by Dabiri-Erewa,

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She expressed concern over the development:

”It is an unfortunate incident, but it is not an incident that defines who we are as a people.

”If a few Nigerians have committed a crime for which they are being punished, thousands of Nigerians are doing great in that same country and are being appreciated and celebrated.

”Mr President, who meets Nigerians every time he goes on official trips outside the country, always appeals to Nigerians to be good ambassadors wherever they are.

 ”I must commend millions of our brothers and sisters excelling all over the world.

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“Bad news travels fast and I appeal to the media to help spread the good news about Nigerians and not concentrate only on the once in a while negative stories,” she said.

All the convicted Nigerians were not identified by both the Gulf News and Khaleej Times, all UAE local newspapers, that reported the trial.

A total of 20 suspects were initially held for attacking security guards in four violent attacks at ATMs and money exchanges across Sharjah in late 2016. Out of the suspects, nine were convicted.

Eight of them were sentenced to death while the  ninth person was sentenced to six months imprisonment.

Some of the accused, confessed to their crimes while others denied the charges levelled against them.

The verdict was handed down by Judge Majid Al Muhairi of Sharjah Criminal Court on Wednesday.