Nigeria Foreign Affairs Minister Geoffrey Onyeama speaks at the Oslo Humanitarian Conference on Nigeria and the Lake Chad Region in Oslo, Norway February 24, 2017. 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has described as untrue reports making the rounds that 23 Nigerians allegedly convicted for drug offences in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have been executed.

The ministry made this known in a statement by it spokesman, Mr Ferdinard Nwonye on Tuesday.

“The attention of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been drawn to recent reports in the media that 23 Nigerians convicted for drug offenses in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have been executed.

“The ministry is in contact with the Nigerian Mission in Saudi Arabia and it has been confirmed that the story is false and should be disregarded.

“The ministry is investigating claims that most of the trials were carried out without adequate legal representation for the accused persons in accordance with internationally accepted legal principles.

“Furthermore the Nigerian Mission was not informed of the arrests and trials.

“The Federal Government is, therefore, engaging the Saudi authorities through diplomatic channels with a view to finding a just solution,” Nwonye said.