FG to secure release of 60 Nigerians in Tanzanian prisons

The Federal Government stated it has secured the release of 60 out of the 73 Nigerians serving a variety of prison terms in Tanzanian prisons.

It stated preparations had been being made by way of the Nigerian ambassador to Tanzania for their repatriation.

The Head, Media and Public Relations Unit, Nigeria in the Diaspora Commission, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, disclosed this in a announcement in Abuja on Wednesday.

It said, “Ever earlier than COVID-19 pandemic, the Nigerian Mission had been working on repatriation of Nigerian prisoners in Tanzania.

“The Ambassador, Dr Sahobi Gada, used to be in Nigeria in January 2020, in particular for this motive after having effectively secured a release of 60 out of 73 Nigerians in a variety of prisons in Tanzania. Arrangements have been then being made via the Ambassador for their repatriation.”

According to Balogun, most of the convicts are arrested for alleged drug-related offences, whilst a few of the offences bordered on immigration regulation violations.

He defined that the mission had been visiting different custodial amenities in Tanzania to test different Nigerians who may additionally be serving reformatory terms, including that it had additionally canvassed for amnesty for the prisoners on account of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He noted, “For every of the 73 Nigerians in the prison, the mission had paid 330, 000 shillings (N55,544) as courtroom charges and was continually represented in court. The mission had additionally efficaciously negotiated the repatriation of 60 prisoners.”

Balogun mentioned that a British citizen working with a non-governmental business enterprise had in the past complained to NIDCOM about the gradual nature of the Tanzanian judicial system.

“It is disheartening to word that whilst the mission correctly sought a reprieve for 60 inmates, a Nigerian returning to Nigeria after working in Tanzania for three years was once caught with hard drugs at Zanzibar and has in view that been charged earlier than a Zanzibar High Court for possession of unlawful drugs,” the commission said.