about 267 Nigerians serving in various prisons across the United Kingdom may be deported to Nigeria to complete their sentences under the UK's new prisoner transfer agreement, which is currently being discussed.
According to UK's Prisons Minister, Jeremy
Wright, this number is about half of the 534
Nigerians currently in UK jails, making
Nigeria to rank among the top ten countries
whose nationals are serving in British jails.
He 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."
A major stumbling block to deportation of
foreign nationals in the past has been the
condition of prisons in their own countries,
but the UK has promised £1million (N250
million) to Nigeria to help improve its jails.
There are currently 10,786 foreign prisoners
in British jails, down just three per cent
from the 11,135 incarcerated when David
Cameron came to power more than three years
ago.
Cameron had in 2010 vowed to personally
intervene to send more foreign criminals home.
In April 2013, he reaffirmed his commitment,
and said, "When people are sent to prison in
the UK we should do everything we can to make sure that if they're foreign nationals, they are sent back to their country to serve their sentence in a foreign prison.
And I'm taking action in Government to say
look we have strong relationships with all of the countries where these people come from.
Many are coming from Jamaica, many from
Nigeria, many from other countries in Asia. We should be using all of the influence we have to sign prisoner transfer agreements with those countries.
Even if necessary frankly helping them to build prisons in their own country so we can send the prisoners home.
Polish nationals make up the highest foreign
contingent in jails in England and Wales, with 829 currently behind bars.
Irish criminals are second with 769, and
Jamaica is third with 759.
Romanians, Nigerians, Pakistanis, Indians,
Lithuanians, Somalians and Vietnamese make up the rest of the top ten.
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