Nigeria And UK Sign Agreement On Prisoner Exchange

An agreement was reach on Thursday on the exchange of prisoners between Nigeria and the United Kingdom, this agreement, will see high-profile prisoners like former Governor James Ibori of Delta State, and other Nigerians in the UK prisons will be transferred to Nigeria to complete their jail terms.

The UK Minister of Justice, Mr. Jeremy Wright, signed on behalf of his country while the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke, SAN, signed for Nigeria in Abuja.

“The compulsory nature of this prisoner transfer agreement is that the prisoners’ themselves do not have to choose where they go or not but the respective countries do still have an opportunity to discuss whether a transfer should be made.’’

In April 2012, a British court sentenced Ibori to jail for 13 years for money laundering and associated crimes.

Ibori’s wife, Nkoyo, his sister, mistress and London solicitor were also convicted of related crime.

Onwuliri, who described the pact as “historic,’’ said experts from both countries would work out modalities for its implementation.

“We have been on the prisoners agreement for a long time and we are happy that we are beginning the year on a happy note by signing this agreement,’’ the News Agency of Nigeria quoted her as saying.