It's irresponsible to neglect Nigerians in prisons abroad, Sani slams FG

Sani urged the Federal Government to deploy diplomatic mechanisms to secure the repatriation of Nigerians serving prison terms in foreign countries and prosecute them at home.

A former lawmaker, who represented Kaduna Central Senatorial District in the 8th National Assembly, Shehu Sani, said it's irresponsible for the Federal Government to neglect Nigerians languishing in prisons in foreign countries.

The former senator made the argument in a post on his X account on Saturday, October 5, 2024.

The latest report from the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) put Nigeria's diaspora population at 1.7 million.

However, 10% of the figure are serving terms in prisons in different countries according to a UN-recognised Nigerian NGO, the Patriotic Citizens Initiatives (PCI).

PCI data showed that approximately 170,000 Nigerians are in prison for offences ranging from drug, fraud, human trafficking and other related immigration offences across the world.

For instance, Nigeria has the highest population of prisoners in India after Indian nationals. Most of them are incarcerated for drug offences, and fraud, particularly romance scams.

In 2023, the horrible plight of Nigerian inmates in Ethiopian prisons came to the fore with some of them dying due to starvation, malnutrition, poor medical attention and brutality by prison officials.

The human rights abuses are similar in several other countries where Nigerians are held in incarceration, especially in Mali, Ethiopia, Benin Republic, Saudi, and Italy, leading to calls for the Federal Government to intervene.

Shehu Sani makes a case for Nigerian prisoners abroad

Adding his voice to the concern, Sani urged the government to initiate an action that would lead to the repatriation of Nigerian inmates in foreign prisons, and prosecute them in the country.

He explained that this can be achieved through inter-ministerial collaboration between the Interior, Justice, and Foreign Affairs ministries, and input from the Nigeria in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM).

The former lawmaker stressed that the nation holds its citizens a duty of care regardless of whatever offences they may have committed in foreign countries, adding that not fulfilling such is tantamount to being irresponsible.

''The FG should initiate an action to seek for the repatriation of Nigerians in Mali, Ethiopia, Benin, Saudi, Italy and other countries currently languishing in their prisons.

''They can still be investigated on their alleged offence and be prosecuted here in Nigeria.The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nidcom Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Justice can achieve this if they are mandated to work jointly.

''The practice of neglecting Nigerians in foreign jails on the belief that they have committed crimes is irresponsible.

''The nation has a duty to its citizens irrespective of his or her conduct abroad.The FG must request for their repatriation even if we are going to be denied,'' Sani wrote.

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