Nigeria seeks accord with Tanzania to repatriate 30 citizens currently incarcerated abroad

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By Nkiruka Nnorom

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The Federal Government has said it will pursue prisoner transfer agreement with Tanzanian authorities as part of efforts to secure the return of the over 30 Nigerians currently serving jail terms in the East African country.

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Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, disclosed this yesterday in response to Vanguard’s enquiry on the number and welfare of Nigerians in Tanzanian prisons.

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He said though Nigeria does not currently have a prisoner transfer agreement with Tanzania, the country’s new High Commissioner to Tanzania would raise the matter with Dar es Salaam authorities after presenting her letters of credence.

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He noted that until a prisoner transfer agreement was signed, Nigeria had no legal framework to repatriate convicted Nigerians to serve their sentences at home.

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“It’s important for you to note that currently, Nigeria doesn’t have a prisoner transfer agreement with Tanzania, but I think since we have a new High Commissioner there, after the presentation of our letters of credence, it will be one of the issues that she will take up with the Tanzanian authorities,” Ebienfa said.

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“The prisoner transfer agreement is something that has to be mutually agreed, and if the terms and conditions are agreed upon about implementation, then we’ll work towards the smooth implementation to see how we can move those that have been sentenced, that are serving various terms to Nigeria to complete their sentences.”

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Giving an official breakdown, Ebienfa said the issue of Nigerians in detention in Tanzania falls into three categories: convicted, awaiting trial, and arrested, “most often for immigration and drug offences.”

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