Obama’s Malaysia Visit Spares Nigerian Woman from Death Sentence

DDM News

A Nigerian woman, simply identified as Peace, has shared her harrowing experience in a Malaysian prison, recounting how a timely intervention by former United States President Barack Obama changed her fate from death by hanging to life imprisonment.

Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) reports that Peace narrated her ordeal during an emotional appearance on the popular Brekete Family programme, where she revealed the painful realities of incarceration abroad, especially for black women and mothers.

Peace disclosed that her arrest in Malaysia occurred between 2011 and 2013 during a drug-related case that eventually led to a death sentence in 2015.

She described the prison environment as overtly racist, stating that black inmates, especially those with dark-skinned children, were often treated with contempt and cruelty.

Her newborn son, who was with her in prison, suffered frequent illness due to the poor conditions.

Peace recounted how she was often denied access to basic needs like clean water when her child fell sick.

“They didn’t like black people,” she said. “Whenever I went to get water for my baby, they would chase me away.”

As her child’s health worsened, help came from an unexpected source, a compassionate white inmate who introduced her to her mother, a Malaysian woman willing to take care of the baby.

This led to diplomatic intervention from the Nigerian embassy in Malaysia.

“The woman kept my son for two months while the Nigerian embassy processed his passport and made arrangements for his return home,” Peace explained.

She added that she still has her son’s passport as a reminder of that painful chapter.

Her legal situation took a critical turn on May 12, 2015, when a Malaysian court sentenced her to death by hanging following her conviction.

However, fate intervened that same month when then-US President Barack Obama visited Malaysia.

During his visit, Obama reportedly urged the Malaysian government to reform its punitive drug laws, especially those affecting foreign nationals and women.

According to Peace, Malaysian authorities later amended the law and commuted all hanging sentences for women to life imprisonment.

She credited Obama’s advocacy as the reason she is still alive today, even though she remains behind bars.

Her story underscores the plight of many Nigerians languishing in foreign prisons, often under inhumane conditions and without sufficient legal support.

It also brings to light the power of diplomatic pressure and human compassion in saving lives amid rigid legal systems.

DDM continues to monitor similar cases involving Nigerian citizens abroad, advocating for justice, legal reform, and consular protection.

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