Young Nigerian footballer Chijioke Stephen Obioha was on Friday executed in Singapore, after the Court of Appeal dismissed a motion filed by his lawyer on Thursday.

Obioha arrived Singapore eight years ago for football trials with an unnamed club, but was arrested by anti-narcotics officials for been in possession of hard drugs.

The graduate of the University of Benin in Nigeria, also had on him keys to an apartment where hard drugs are kept, which lead to the authorities to pronounce him guilty as charged.

'This morning, at 6am, the execution of Chijioke Stephen Obioha took place. I am not even sure if his family from Nigeria were able to attend. Soon it will be all forgotten together with Chijioke's name, but for the many of us who fight and campaign to eradicate this barbaric practice of death by hanging, and for those of us who challenge the mandatory death penalty for drug trafficking in Singapore, our work will go on. And it must.' Anti-Death Penalty Campaign member , Mr Ravi posted on his Facebook wall

' I'm currently arranging with the Roman Catholic Prison Ministry ( RCPM) to claim the body of Chijioke from the Singapore Prisons Service for a proper funeral in accordance with his religious beliefs.The funeral will take place either today or tomorrow depending on how soon the SPS could release the body.

Will keep you posted'
Amnesty International wrote: 'After the rejection of his clemency appeal in April 2015, his execution was set for May 15, 2015. It was stayed a day earlier to allow him apply for resentencing. 'His family were only informed on October 25, 2016 that he had resolved to withdraw his application for resentencing earlier in the year, following legal advice that he would not qualify as 'courier' under the amended laws.

'Consequently, the Court of Appeal lifted the stay of execution with effect from October 24, resulting in the execution date to be set for November 18.

'Chijioke Stephen Obioha graduated in Industrial Chemistry from Benin University in Nigeria. He moved to Singapore in 2005, seeking to join a football club. His family members, who currently live in Nigeria and the United Kingdom, have been unable to travel to visit and had limited ability to assist him.

'Throughout the duration of the proceedings, they have received sporadic and often delayed updates, including when a legal representative was removed from the case.' The Roman catholic prison ministry claimed the body of Chijioke following the execution."

allsports.com