The Interior Minister, retired Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau has on Friday revealed that about 400 Nigerians are serving jail terms for various offences in South African prisons.
The disclosure comes after the Interior Minister and the Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama announced their meeting with the South Africa President, Jacob Zuma and other top officials of the government over the ongoing Xenophobic attacks on Nigerians.
Dambazu while speaking at a joint news conference held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday said: “These are in the minority because equally we have Nigerian professionals who are contributing positively to development of the economy of South Africa. However, that is not to say that they should fold their arms and not to do something about somebody involved in criminality.
“But in doing that, we emphasized that due process of the law should be taken in terms of the assumption of innocence, being proven guilty and in terms of fair hearing. I understand that there are about 400 Nigerians who are in their prison for various offences.”
Giving a report of the visit to South Africa to meet with the government officials, Dambazu added that Nigerians serving their jail term in South Africa would complete their jail terms in the country.
He added: “When we met with the Nigerian community, we also emphasised that those who are involved in criminal behaviour should not be allowed to spoil the good name of Nigeria.
“So, they have that moral responsibility to report where necessar.”