By Amaechi Agbo

A Nigerian footballer, Theophilus Ugwu, 23, will be executed in Cambodia unless concerted efforts are made from Nigerian government to save the reported player from the looming doom.

Mr Ugwu was sentenced to death by the Cambodia authority for smuggling 6 Kilos of drugs in Vietnam, on Tuesday.

He was arrested on March 8 2020 by Vietnam police, trying to smuggle it from Cambodia.

Ugwu said another African who promised to help him play for a famous Cambodian club, gave him a bag to deliver for $1000 but he said he wasn’t aware it contained drugs.

On March 8 last year, police found Ugwu transporting 12 bags containing meth from Cambodia to Vietnam in Tay Ninh’s Ben Cau District. The meth weighed around 5.92 kilograms.

Ugwu said he came from Nigeria to Cambodia in February last year as a football player. But in March, he became acquainted with another African, who promised to help him play for a famous Cambodian club.

On March 8, the man hired Ugwu to deliver a bag containing the drugs from Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC).

Tay Ninh borders both HCMC and Phnom Penh.

Ugwu accepted the deal and got $1,000 but was eventually busted by police as he tried to smuggle the drugs into Vietnam through less-travelled paths.

In court, Ugwu said he did not know the bag contained drugs.

The repeated seizure of huge amounts of narcotics has occurred despite Vietnam having some of the world’s toughest drug laws.

Those convicted of possessing or smuggling more than 600 grams of heroin or cocaine or over 2.5 kg of methamphetamine could face capital punishment.

Production or sale of 100 grams of heroin or 300 grams of any other illegal substance is also punishable by death in the country.