The South-east Asian nation of Indonesia, yesterday, executed eight prisoners condemned to death for drug offences. Two others were given late temporary reprieves. The executions have generally drawn international outrage but are very popular at home where the country battles a drug addiction emergency.

President Joko Widodo has been often quoted saying that about 40 to 50 Indonesians die every day from a drug overdose or related causes. This statistic has been called into question.

Four Nigerians were among the eight who were executed on Tuesday. Here is a brief profile of each of them courtesy of the UK Guardian.

Martin Anderson

Anderson was sentenced to death in 2004 after being found guilty of possessing about 50g (1.8oz) of heroin. The 50-year-old travelled to Indonesia on a false passport and was thought to be Ghanian, but is in fact – like three of his fellow prisoners – from Nigeria.

He was reportedly shot in the leg during his arrest. His lawyer told the media that he has been in poor spirits since being moved to Nusa Kambangan to face execution.

Raheem Agbaje Salami (also known as Jamiu Owolabi Abashin)

Abashin, 50, has said he was homeless in Bangkok when a new “friend” offered him $400 to take some clothes to Indonesia. He was arrested in Surabaya with 5.5kg (12lb) of heroin and originally sentenced, in 1999, to life in prison.

The sentence was changed to one of death in 2006. In an appeal for presidential clemency, Abashin admitted he had known he was carrying the drugs. His appeal was unsuccessful.

Silvester Obiekwe Nwolise

Nwolise, 47, was convicted in 2002 of smuggling just over a kilogram of heroin into Indonesia. He was sentenced to death.

His wife said he believed he was carrying tablets – which he swallowed – containing goat horn powder for some Nigerian friends in Pakistan. She also said he had no translator during his trial, and there are allegations that a bribe was sought to spare him a death sentence.

Okwuduli Oyatanze

Oyatanze, 41, was sentenced to death in 2002, found guilty of attempting to bring 2.5kg of heroin through Jakarta in capsules inside his stomach.

Charles Burrows, a Catholic priest who has counselled Oyatanze in prison, says that the Nigerian man, following the collapse of his clothing company, had thought being a drugs mule would be “easy money”.