THIS 23 YEAR OLD NIGERIAN BOY WAS SENTENCED TO DIE BY HANGING FOR .....STEALING A SMARTPHONE

A young man has been sentenced to death by hanging for stealing a smartphone.

Tope Abiodun, 23, has been in a Nigerian prison for four years after stealing an Android LG smartphone valued at 87,000 NGN (£256).

He claims he was planning to sell it to buy food for his younger siblings, according to an activist who is highlighting the case.

Tope Abiodun was 18-years-old when he was imprisoned for stealing an Android LG smartphone valued at 87,000 NGN (£256)

The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) sentenced Mr Abiodun to death by hanging.

Justice campaigner Don Capello wrote of the case: 'Justice Chizoba Orji of Apo high court FCT Abuja jailed 23 yrs old Tope Abiodun (from Kabba Kogi state) to death by hanging for stealing an Android LG phone valued at 87,000 naira.

'This happened few weeks ago in a country where those that looted billions that were meant to make life easy for such youths from being tempted to survive through stealing, are out there roaming the streets in freedom.

Mr Capello said: 'This is unfair to the poor and vulnerable masses. Tope fluently speaks Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa languages. 

'He has transformed since he was imprisoned four years ago, this is a lad that will assist visitors with their luggage down to cells of those they came to visit in Kuje prison.

'He is a good boy we cannot allow to die. I am appealing to well-meaning Nigerians, clergies alike to come to his aid. He has an ageing mother, he was not born to see his father alive. One can easily understand his upbringing.'