Under the terms of an agreement signed on Wednesday between the Nigerian and United Kingdom governments, Nigerian prisoners in UK prisons will now complete their sentences at home.
This was disclosed by the UK’s Attorney-General, Jeremy Wright QC, when he paid a courtesy visit on the Interior Minister, Abdulrahman Dambazau.
This is most likely to affect former Delta State Governor, James Ibori, who is currently serving a 13-year jail term in the UK for money laundering and still has more than six months left to serve.
Also, the UK government pledged a £1 million aid to assist the Nigerian government in revamping the prisons, The Nation reported.
Leading a five-man delegation, Wright said it was important that the two countries respect the agreement.
Furthermore, he said it was necessary to improve the conditions in Nigerian prisons to ensure that inmates stay in humane conditions, even though they are paying for the consequences of their actions.
He also expressed his nation’s gratitude for the role played by the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Interior Minister in finalising the agreement.