Nigerians in UK prisons reduced by 40 percent

Posted by admin Africa & World Politics, Headlines Wednesday, May 15th, 2013

Figure drooped from 900 t0 540
The number of Nigerians serving various jail terms in the United Kingdom has significantly dropped from some 900 to 540, the Nigerian High Commissioner to that country, Dr. Dalhatu Tafida, has said.
Tafida, who spoke against the backdrop of the Nigeria-UK Prisoners Transfer Agreement, stated this in a chat with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in London.
The High Commissioner said the figure had reduced from 900 in 2008 to 540 currently, as some of the prisoners had completed their sentences and were released by the authorities.
He said that both countries were working on modalities for Prisoner’s transfer following the review of the 2005 Memorandum of Understanding on Migration Return Partnership.
NAN reports that under the agreement, prisoners do not have an option of where they want to serve their terms of imprisonment, because the transfer is mandatory by law.
When the transfer process begins, some 200 Nigerian prisoners in the UK would be in the first batch of those that would sent home to complete their jail terms.
Tafida also said that a similar scheme under the auspices of the Nigeria-Commonwealth Prisoners Transfer agreement has seen the return of only one prisoner since it came into force.
NAN reports that the Commonwealth scheme allows for voluntary transfer based on the prisoner’s wish.
However, many prisoners prefer to serve out their terms in the UK, where the prison conditions in their opinion are better.
Meanwhile the number of Nigerians repatriated from the UK on a monthly basis remains between 40 to 50 persons.

-Nationwp_posts