UK, Thailand to repatriate 1,000 Nigerian prisoners

About 1,000 Nigerians languishing in United Kingdom (UK) and Thailand prisons will be repatriated in few weeks time. This is in line with the Prisoners’ Exchange Agreement Nigeria signed with the two countries.

These prisoners will be the first batch of Nigerians serving various terms in those countries’ prisons to be repatriated under the agreements.

Minister of Interior, Abba Patrick Moro, who disclosed this in Abuja at the weekend, said the UK government has requested that the transfer takes effect in line with the agreement.

He explained that the President Goodluck Jonathan administration is currently engaged in an expeditious audit of the list, which he said would be concluded in a matter of weeks.

Sunday Independent learnt that there are over 454 Nigerians in the UK prisons, while the Thai prisons are hosting over 500.

However, Sunday Independent gathered that some legal bottlenecks regarding prisoners’ consent might have delayed the take-off of the exchange agreement.
This is as Moro added that passage of the appropriate legislation and Jonathan’s recent consent had cleared the way for full implementation of the agreement.

According to Moro, “The first of such transfer requests have been received and is being processed by the Nigeria prison authorities.

“As soon as the processes are completed, we will demonstrate our capacity to carry through our agreement by ensuring transfer of the prisoners”.
He added that the request is dependent on capacity of the receiving country to handle the repatriated prisoners.

According to Moro, the UK government has remained steadfast in meeting its part of the agreement, which includes financing the upgrade of selected prisons in the country.

He stressed that in line with the agreement, works have been completed in the towers of Ikoyi Prison, aside completion of some cell blocks in the female wing of Ikoyi Prison, and completion of facilities in Kuje Prisons, which he said is ongoing.

He said the UK government has inspected five other prisons in Ibadan, Ilorin and three others for upgrade in line with the agreement.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) arrested and repatriated 430 illegal immigrants in Jigawa between January and November this year.

NIS Comptroller in the state, Isa Jere, disclosed this on Saturday in Dutse, the state capital, while parading seven Nigeriens and one Malian illegal immigrant.
Jere said that 90 per cent of the arrested immigrants were from Niger Republic, while others were from Cameroun, Chad and Mali.

According to him, NIS has intensified its mop-up operation to get the state rid of illegal immigrants before the 2015 general elections begin.

According to him, “We are committed to repatriating illegal immigrants in our midst because they don’t have right or have any business to participate in our elections”.