UK working on prisoners transfer with Nigeria

The United Kingdom is presently working with Nigeria to transfer Nigerian inmates in various British prisons to complete their sentences in Nigeria.

British High Commissioner and Permanent Representative to ECOWAS, Dr. Andrew Pocok told Daily Trust in an interview that British citizens serving jail terms in Nigeria will also be transferred home if the policy become a reality.

Pocock, who was in a closed door meeting Thursday in Abuja with Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, Abba Moro, said that responses from the Nigerian government to achieve this has been encouraging thus far.

“We talked about how Nigeria prisons’ authority can make prison system here more secure and more human and how we can complete prisoner transfer agreement which is about allowing Nigerian prisoners in British prisons return to spend the rest of their sentences in Nigeria and vice versa.”

He said apart from Prisoners’ transfer and prison security, the UK is also devising modalities to help Nigeria tackle terrorism.

Pocock revealed that the UK is working with the Nigerian government to know how Nigeria is responding to terror threats.

“United Kingdom is a friend of Nigeria. We have a great interest in Nigeria and also ensure it overcomes the challenges of terrorism.

“Anything we can do to make sure the Nigerian government overcomes this problem and to make the world more secure is what we are doing here because whatever is Nigeria’s interest is UK’s interest.”