Nigeria and UK Govt in fresh deal to return Nigerian prisoners
BARRING last minute hitch, Nigerian prisoners in Britain are
homebound to serve the remainder of their jail sentences under a new
deal agreed between the two countries.
According to British media reports, over half of Nigerian nationals currently in UK jails could be deported under the new prisoner transfer agreement, which is currently being discussed.
While a media report claimed that 534 Nigerians are in British prisons, another put the figure at 727, which is second highest among the top 10 nationalities in the prisons. However, this is not peculiar to Nigeria, as thousands of other foreign prisoners are also to be sent back to serve their sentences at home.
British Prime Minister, David Cameron, who will spearhead the cost-cutting drive, plans to tear up agreements that mean convicts cannot be returned home without their consent. As the number of foreign inmates in Britain’s jails approaches one in seven, the prime minister wants them sent home even if they insist on not going.
A major stumbling block to deportation of foreign nationals in the past had been the condition of prisons in home countries, but the UK has promised £1 million to Nigeria to help improve its jails.
Prisons Minister, Jeremy Wright, said: “I am clear that more foreign prisoners must serve their sentences in their own countries.
“That is why we are currently working with the Nigerian government on a compulsory prisoner transfer agreement to increase the number of prisoners who are transferred.
“Legislation allowing Nigeria to enter such an arrangement was passed earlier this year by the Nigerian Parliament. We are now working with them on the text of a final agreement.”
Also, the British High Commissioner and Permanent Representative to ECOWAS, Andrew Pocock, confirmed shortly after a closed-door meeting with the Minister of Interior, Abba Moro, at the weekend that the two nations were at the verge of signing the agreement that would ensure smooth transfer of prisoners.
The discussion between Nigeria and UK, he added, also focused on how Nigeria could make its prisons, which have recently been hit by cases of jailbreaks, better and secure. He added: “We talked about how Nigerian prison authority can make prison system here more secure and more humane.”
According to him, Nigeria and the UK have a long-standing relationship hence the mutual interest. Pocock noted: “We are working hand in hand with Nigerian government to know how Nigeria responds to present terror threat. UK is a friend of Nigeria; we have a great interest in Nigeria and also ensure it overcomes the challenges of terrorism.
“So, anything we can do to make sure the Nigerian government overcomes this problem and to make the world more secure is what we are doing here because whatever is Nigeria’s interest is UK’s as well to work together on the global problem.”
According to British media reports, over half of Nigerian nationals currently in UK jails could be deported under the new prisoner transfer agreement, which is currently being discussed.
While a media report claimed that 534 Nigerians are in British prisons, another put the figure at 727, which is second highest among the top 10 nationalities in the prisons. However, this is not peculiar to Nigeria, as thousands of other foreign prisoners are also to be sent back to serve their sentences at home.
British Prime Minister, David Cameron, who will spearhead the cost-cutting drive, plans to tear up agreements that mean convicts cannot be returned home without their consent. As the number of foreign inmates in Britain’s jails approaches one in seven, the prime minister wants them sent home even if they insist on not going.
A major stumbling block to deportation of foreign nationals in the past had been the condition of prisons in home countries, but the UK has promised £1 million to Nigeria to help improve its jails.
Prisons Minister, Jeremy Wright, said: “I am clear that more foreign prisoners must serve their sentences in their own countries.
“That is why we are currently working with the Nigerian government on a compulsory prisoner transfer agreement to increase the number of prisoners who are transferred.
“Legislation allowing Nigeria to enter such an arrangement was passed earlier this year by the Nigerian Parliament. We are now working with them on the text of a final agreement.”
Also, the British High Commissioner and Permanent Representative to ECOWAS, Andrew Pocock, confirmed shortly after a closed-door meeting with the Minister of Interior, Abba Moro, at the weekend that the two nations were at the verge of signing the agreement that would ensure smooth transfer of prisoners.
The discussion between Nigeria and UK, he added, also focused on how Nigeria could make its prisons, which have recently been hit by cases of jailbreaks, better and secure. He added: “We talked about how Nigerian prison authority can make prison system here more secure and more humane.”
According to him, Nigeria and the UK have a long-standing relationship hence the mutual interest. Pocock noted: “We are working hand in hand with Nigerian government to know how Nigeria responds to present terror threat. UK is a friend of Nigeria; we have a great interest in Nigeria and also ensure it overcomes the challenges of terrorism.
“So, anything we can do to make sure the Nigerian government overcomes this problem and to make the world more secure is what we are doing here because whatever is Nigeria’s interest is UK’s as well to work together on the global problem.”
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